Akbar seeks four days' time to appear before police

MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has sought four days time to appear before the Nirmal Police who summoned him in connection with the cases registered against him for alleged hate speeches.

Akbaruddin Owaisi, who returned from London to the city in the early hours of Monday, cited ill-health as the reason for his inability to appear before the Nirmal Police on Monday. Akbar's lawyers - Mohammad Ismail and Rasool Khan, who appeared before the Nirmal (Rural) Police, submitted a note stating that Akbar went to London only for treatment and therefore, he was unable to travel to Nirmal immediately. However, the police are yet to a decision on Akbar's request.

Sources say that Akbaruddin Owaisi might seek more time to appear before the Nizambad Town II police and Osmania University Police which asked him to appear on January 8 and 10th respectively.

It may be mentioned that two FIRs were registered suo motu by the Nirmal and Nizamabad police while a third case was registered by the Osmania University Police following a directive by the court. Akbaruddin Owaisi has been booked under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 121 of IPC (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India).