New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday alleged that the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh was shielding All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in the hate speech cases. Owaisi who returned on Monday morning from London where he had gone for medical treatment underwent a medical test at a hospital in Hyderabad, but the police are yet to arrest him despite two FIRs registered against him at Adilabad and Nizamabad districts. A third case was registered by Osmania University police, following a court directive after Owaisi allegedly used inflammatory language against a particular community in December 2012.
"Owaisi has to be booked and arrested immediately. Instead of arresting him, he is being given a hero's welcome. Standard operating procedure is you arrest the culprit, then produce before the court, upon court's direction, you take him to the hospital. The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh is trying to make Owaisi a hero. The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh is actively supporting him. The BJP condemns this kind of politics," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi on Tuesday.
A two-member police team went to Akbaruddin Owaisi's residence in Hyderabad to work out details for his medical test on Tuesday morning. He was examined by a team of doctors including a cardiologist, orthopedician and a general surgeon at the Gandhi hospital amidst tight security. The investigating officer of Adilabad police was also present inside. Owaisi's personal doctors were in the hospital but weren't allowed inside the examination room.
Earlier on Tuesday morning the Nirmal rural police at Adilabad district issued a notice to Akbaruddin to present himself for the medical examination after he evaded arrest in connection with his alleged hate speech case citing health concerns.
Investigating officer A Raghu had found Akbaruddin fit enough to face police inquiry in connection with the case filed against him for the alleged provocative speech. However, the MIM legislator had informed that he was suffering from pain and had sought four days time to appear before the Nirmal police for questioning. After this, the police had on Monday night decided that he will be subjected to medical examination on Tuesday.
"In view of his medical examination police issued a notice to him to come to the Gandhi Hospital where government doctors will carry out his medical examination. Once the medical test is complete, a certificate will be issued and based on it further course of action will be taken," a senior police officer said. For security reasons, a police escort accompanied him.
The police on Monday evening also went to his residence to question him over his alleged hate speech. This came even as Owaisi filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court asking for a stay on arrest and filing of more FIRs on similar grounds. The High Court is likely to take up the writ petition on January 9.
Earlier, questions were raised as to why Hyderbad Police did not arrest Owaisi on arrival at the Hyderabad airport on Monday morning. Owaisi returned early on Monday morning from London to a rousing reception by his supporters at the airport and told the police that he would surrender later as he was not well.
It seems Owaisi is using ill health to get away and police are going slow on the MIM MLA. Even as the police failed to arrest him at the airport on Monday, Owaisi approached the investigating officer in Adilabad and asked for a four-day extension citing ill health. He was directed by the court to appear before the police in Adilabad district on Monday and in Nizamabad town on January 8.
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