Fresh summons to MIM MLA Owaisi

Mumbai: A court in suburban Kurla on Wednesday issued fresh summons against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA from Hyderabad Akbaruddin Owaisi in connection with an alleged hate speech case.

The metropolitan magistrate court has asked the MIM leader to be present before it next month. "Earlier summons was issued against him (Owaisi) in May. However, since there was no report from the Hyderabad police confirming service of the summons, a fresh summons has been issued," said advocate Gulam Hussain Khan who had filed the complaint in person last year. In his complaint, Khan had told the court that Owaisi delivered the hate speech in Andhra Pradesh in 2012, with an intention to harm the harmony between Hindus and Muslims. Khan said that Owaisi's speech had hurt his religious sentiments and it was against the teachings of Islam. Owaisi represents Chandrayangutta Assembly constituency in Hyderabad. Khan had also contented before the court that neither police nor the Home Ministry took action on his complaint. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Ashish Ayachit had taken cognizance of the complaint in May and had issued summons to Owaisi.