Akbaruddin Owaisi ordered 14-day judicial custody for hate speech

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, who faces multiple cases for his alleged "hate speech", was on Wednesday remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a magistrate in Nirmal town of Adilabad district.

Akbaruddin was reportedly questioned and produced before the magistrate at 5:30, after which he was sent to judicial custody. The magistrate also asked the police to produce the MLA before the court later today at 10:30am.

Owaisi has been taken to the Nirmal town police station, and his petition is expected to be listed at the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday. Owaisi was arrested on Tuesday, a day after his return from London and admitted to a hospital for a medical check-up, before being taken into custody.

Following the arrest of the MIM leader, the state government has imposed a prohibitory orders in the town to maintain law and order. Additional security forces have been deployed in Hyderabad and Adilabad as a precautionary measure.

Owaisi, the floor leader of his party in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, is facing a case against him in Adilabad for alleged provocative speeches regarding the disputed Bhagyalakshmi shrine in the Charminar area. Complaints have been filed against him in regard to the same speeches in various police stations in Hyderabad and other parts of the state.