The Telangana High Court on Friday, October 19, temporarily lifted orders to seal Hotel Metropolis in Secunderabad.
This ruling comes in response to a writ petition filed by Abdul Rashid, the hotel’s owner, who claims that the police are wrongfully implicating him in a criminal case linked to an incident at a nearby temple.
According to Rashid, the controversy began when an individual, who allegedly attempted to disturb a deity at a nearby temple, stayed at his hotel.
Following this incident, local authorities sealed the hotel, citing concerns over law and order. Rashid argued that this action was unjustified and aims to tarnish his establishment’s reputation.
During the court proceedings, senior counsel L Ravichander represented Rashid.
He emphasized that Hotel Metropolis in Secunderabad operates legally with a valid trade license and was hosting a personality development course at the time of the incident.
Ravichander condemned the police’s actions, which included forcibly removing guests’ belongings from the hotel, describing these measures as part of an Islamophobic narrative against the hotel.
The court’s decision to suspend the hotel’s sealing has brought temporary relief to Rashid and his business. The situation remains under scrutiny as further hearings are expected to clarify the legal standing of both parties involved.
Secunderabad idol desecration
The Gopalapuram police booked a case against popular motivational speaker Munawar Zama and Abdul Rasheed Basheer Ahmed and Rehman, the Secunderabad hotel owner and manager respectively of Metropolis Hotel in Regimental Bazaar for allegedly outraging feelings and provoking hatred.
Salman Salim Thakur, the accused who had damaged the idol of deity at the Secunderabad temple was among the 151 people who stayed at the hotel and attended a workshop organized there.
The man barged into the temple on October 14 and damaged the idol of the Goddess Muthyallama. He was caught and badly thrashed by a mob. Salman is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city.
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