Hyderabad court asks police to book Owaisi

Hyderabad, July 14: A city court on Thursday directed police to book a case against AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for stating that he will provide legal aid to suspected Islamic State (IS) sympathisers arrested here last month. The court issued the direction on a complaint by advocate K. Karuna Sagar. The 11th Metropolitan Magistrate Court asked Saroor Nagar police station under Cyberabad police commissionerate to register a case against Owaisi under section 124A (sedition) of Indian Penal Code. Police were asked to submit a report on the same to the court before July 30. The advocate moved the court after police did not take action on his complaint against the Hyderabad MP. "I had lodged a complaint with the police on July 3 but for 10 days they were sitting on it," Sagar told IANS. He said he moved the court seeking directions to police to book the MP on charges of sedition. He alleged that Owaisi through his remarks is boosting the morale of anti-nationals and giving oxygen to terrorists. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) last month arrested five suspected IS sympathisers. Owaisi had said after the arrests that his party would provide legal help to the youths. He, however, asserted that his party does not support terrorism.