By IANS
Hyderabad : Police have registered a case against a leader of a Muslim political party on charges of threatening to kill Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was attacked by his party members here Thursday.
Hours after registering a case against Nasreen for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims through her writings and speech, on a complaint by Majlis-e-Ittedhadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader-cum-legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi, the police have booked him on charges of criminal intimidation.
The Punjagutta police station registered a case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Owaisi Saturday night even as the latter denied issuing any threat to kill Nasreen if she visits Hyderabad again.
Owaisi, party leader in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, said his statement after Thursday’s incident was distorted by a section of the media. He clarified that he never issued any threat to kill or behead Nasreen but only that as a Muslim he would abide by a ‘fatwa’ against the writer issued in Bangladesh.
The case against the MIM legislator was registered under a non-bailable section after a magistrate granted permission to the police. He is yet to be arrested because that would require permission from the speaker of the state assembly.
Police are also conducting a probe against Majeedullah Khan Farhat, a leader of MIM’s rival Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), for stating that the attack by MIM leaders on Nasreen was to foil their plan to kill the writer outside the press club.
Three MIM legislators and few other party leaders attacked Nasreen during a function meant to release the Telugu translation of her book “Shodh”. She escaped unhurt but a couple of organisers and journalists received minor injuries while trying to protect her.
The police arrested the legislators on charges of rioting, criminal intimidation and causing hurt. They were released on bail the same day.
Police Saturday booked a case against Nasreen for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims, on a complaint by Owaisi. She was booked under IPC for “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language”.
A police official said the cases against both Nasreen and Owaisi were being probed. Police were going through Nasreen’s writings and speech made at the book release function and also the video footage of Owaisi’s statement.
The MIM leader has also filed a complaint against the organisers of the function for inviting Nasreen. He demanded a ban on the Telugu translation of Nasreen’s book.