<p>The Bombay High Court has asked a public speaker on Islam to appear before the Vengurla police in Sindhudurg district and get his statement recorded in connection with a case registered there for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.<br /><br /></p>.<p>A division bench of Justices P V Hardas and Mridula Bhatkar was on May 10 hearing a petition filed by Zakir Naik, a self-proclaimed philosopher and public speaker on Islam and comparative religion, expressing apprehension of threat to his life in the event that he is taken to the police station.<br /><br />Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for Zakir, argued that the petitioner apprehends danger to his life and a law and order situation if he is taken to the police station for recording of his statement.<br /><br />Public prosecutor Revati Dere, however, told the court that whenever the accused is summoned to the police station, he arrives there wsith hundreds of his followers thus leading to a law and order situation.<br /><br />The bench then directed Naik to go to the Vengurla police station accompanied with only three persons including his lawyer and get his statement recorded.<br /><br />"The petitioner (Zakir Naik) shall co-operate with the police machinery in order to ensure that law and order is maintained," the court said.<br /><br />Several cases have been registered against Naik for making speeches that have allegedly hurt religious sentiments.<br /><br />Zakir Naik is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation, a non-profit organisation that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai.<br /><br />The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on June 11</p>
<p>The Bombay High Court has asked a public speaker on Islam to appear before the Vengurla police in Sindhudurg district and get his statement recorded in connection with a case registered there for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.<br /><br /></p>.<p>A division bench of Justices P V Hardas and Mridula Bhatkar was on May 10 hearing a petition filed by Zakir Naik, a self-proclaimed philosopher and public speaker on Islam and comparative religion, expressing apprehension of threat to his life in the event that he is taken to the police station.<br /><br />Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for Zakir, argued that the petitioner apprehends danger to his life and a law and order situation if he is taken to the police station for recording of his statement.<br /><br />Public prosecutor Revati Dere, however, told the court that whenever the accused is summoned to the police station, he arrives there wsith hundreds of his followers thus leading to a law and order situation.<br /><br />The bench then directed Naik to go to the Vengurla police station accompanied with only three persons including his lawyer and get his statement recorded.<br /><br />"The petitioner (Zakir Naik) shall co-operate with the police machinery in order to ensure that law and order is maintained," the court said.<br /><br />Several cases have been registered against Naik for making speeches that have allegedly hurt religious sentiments.<br /><br />Zakir Naik is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation, a non-profit organisation that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai.<br /><br />The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on June 11</p>