By IANS,
Hyderabad : Hyderabad police Saturday booked a case against Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi for calling Andhra Pradesh police chief A.K. Mohanty a man with a “perverted mind”.
Taking suo motu note of Owaisi’s remarks, the police registered a case against him. He has been charged with threatening a public servant.
The case under section 189 (threat of injury to public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was booked in Kamatipura police station in the old city.
Owaisi’s allegation that Mohanty was partisan and had colluded with the rival Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the poll from Hyderabad constituency Thursday, left the Election Commission fuming.
The state’s Chief Electoral Officer I.V. Subba Rao sent a report along with the CD of his video footage to the Election Commission.
Sources said the MIM chief is likely to be issued a show cause notice by the poll panel, which had appointed Mohanty as director general of police (DGP) last month.
Owaisi is the Hyderabad MP and is seeking re-election from the constituency, which along with 21 other Lok Sabha and 154 assembly segments went to polls Thursday.
Owaisi Saturday alleged: “Mohanty has a perverted mind. He is trying to be brave in uniform. Let him shed his uniform, come in open and face us in a democratic manner.”
Subba Rao has sent a report on Owaisi’s remarks to the Election Commission. “Such remarks by a public representative on a senior official discharging his poll duty are unfortunate. I have sent a report to the Election Commission,” the election officer told reporters.
The TDP-led four-party Grand Alliance sought strong action against him. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) submitted a memorandum to the poll panel demanding immediate arrest of the MIM leader.
Owaisi also found fault with the chief electoral officer for not taking note of his party’s petition urging it not to appoint Mohanty to the top post.
“Shame on you Mohanty. You have stooped to this level and brought disrepute to the post of DGP. We had been saying from the beginning that he can’t do justice. He tried to victimise us. He set policemen after us. They were chasing use everywhere,” said Owaisi.
“Despite all this, we are confident we will win Hyderabad Lok Sabha and eight assembly seats,” said Owaisi, whose party has been winning the Hyderabad seat since 1984.
The MIM accuses Mohanty of being anti-Muslim.