Police report on hate speech case against Asaduddin Owaisi rejected

A court here has rejected the Delhi Police's closure report and ordered an investigation into an alleged hate speech case against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi, sources said on Tuesday.

In an order on Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate Prayank Nayak asked an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to supervise the investigation so as to avoid any further delay in the matter.

The court observed that no efforts had been made by the police with respect to the venue of the alleged speech or to inquire about any person who was present in the audience or otherwise at the time of Owaisi's address.

"It is also expected for the police to take all the available provisions in order to find out about the video on the basis of which the present case was filed," the court said in its order.

In its closure report, the Delhi Police said that a news channel could not provide any particulars or the copy of the video.

It is also stated that an inquiry was sent to the video sharing website, YouTube to find out the details of the IP address and the source of the video. But no information was provided.

In the protest petition, complainant Ajay Gautam said that the Delhi Police has not investigated the case properly.

An FIR was lodged in February 2015 based on a complaint by Gautam, a social activist, who alleged that in June 2014 Owaisi had used "derogatory" and "inflammatory" words to describe the Central government.

--IANS

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