JOIN US A case has been registered over Aam Aadmi Party’s Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan for allegedly using derogatory words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and inciting communal passion while speaking at a Delhi government event last month.
Kotwali police station in north Delhi has filed the FIR for a non-cognisable offence under section 504 (intentional insult and provocation for breaking public peace) of the Indian Penal Code. The event was organised by the Delhi government’s Urdu Academy at Red Fort on February 16.
“The accused has been caught on camera delivering a hate speech in a video which is going viral on social media in which AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan (is) using derogatory remarks against Modi-government and inciting the crowd for gherao of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s house,” the FIR said.
Khan also allegedly spoke in favour of releasing a cleric arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on suspicion of having Islamic State links.
The complaint was filed by Shakti Nagar-resident Vivek Garg, who is a lawyer and RTI activist, with Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma on Wednesday. Garg had sought an FIR against the MLA for waging war against the government and outraging religious feelings.
“On the basis of the complaint, we have registered an FIR in respect of non-cognisable offence under IPC section 504,” said a police officer. The investigators are also examining video clips of the event.
On Wednesday, the Delhi unit of Bharatiya Janata Party had also filed a complaint against Khan accusing him of using “abusive language” against Modi.
A delegation of BJP leaders, including party’s Delhi chief Satish Upadhyay, had met the Police Commissioner and submitted a video clip claimed to have been obtained from the social media.
On Friday, an AAP spokesperson questioned the veracity of the evidence. Khan has also defended his remarks saying that he was only criticising the “anti-Dalit” and “anti-minority” policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
In a non-cognisable offence, police need the court’s permission to investigate the crime or make an arrest.