MIM's Akbar Owaisi falls ill in jail, shifted to hospital

The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad town, about 300 km from here.

Doctors were conducting various tests on Akbar, who is in judicial custody in a hate speech case. His lawyers claimed that he was not getting required medical attention in Adilabad district jail. Their request to shift the MIM leader to Hyderabad was already rejected by the court.

Earlier in the day, Akbar's wife, two children and other family members called on him in the jail.

According to MIM leaders, Akbar has many health problems due to the critical injuries he suffered during an assassination bid on him in 2011.

Akbar, a member of Andhra Pradesh state legislative assembly, was arrested by the police on Jan 8 and the next day a court in Nirmal town of Adilabad district sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

A court in Nizamabad town has already directed police to produce him in the court on Jan 19 in connection with a case booked against him for hate speech made at a public meeting in that town on Dec 8. In view of Akbar's health condition, his lawyers may seek exemption from personal appearance.

Akbar was made to travel 600 km on Thursday to produce him in a court in Sangareddy town of Medak district in connection with a case booked against him in 2005.