3rd ‘hate speech’ case filed against Mufti Salman Azhari in Gujarat

Modasa: Mumbai-based Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari was on Friday booked in a third case for alleged hate speech by police in Modasa in Gujarat’s Arvalli district, an official said.

He delivered an inflammatory speech in an open ground in Modasa on December 24, Superintendent of Police Shefali Barwal said.

Azhari was held from Mumbai on February 5 after he delivered an alleged hate speech in B division police station limits in Junagadh on January 31. Later, Kutch East police registered a First Information Report and arrested him on February 8 for delivering an allegedly provocative speech in Samakhiyari village in Bhachau taluka on January 31.

“After his arrest by Junagadh police, we learnt Azhari was in Modasa on December 24 to deliver a speech at an event organised by a local person who claimed he would speak on religion and de-addiction. However, a video established Azhari delivered a provocative speech at the event,” SP Barwal said.

In Junagadh and Kutch East, Azhari was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 153B (promoting enmity between different religious groups) and 505 (2) (making statements conducive to public mischief).

In Modasa, apart from sections 153B and 505(2), he has also been charged under section 298 for “uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person”, Barwal said.

Relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked as he made derogatory remarks against the SC community in his speech, as per police.

“One Ishaq, who had taken police permission for the event, was also booked. We will take custody of Azhari after his remand gets over in Kutch East,” the SP informed.