Hyderabad: Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA T Raja Singh has been booked in another case, this time at the Bhavaninagar police station on the charges of hate speech and threats to repeat his act that in the past had led to disruption of public harmony.
The Goshamahal MLA in a “comedy video” on August 21 made controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad following which protests broke out in the city.
Raja Singh’s action came following his objections to stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui’s show in the city as he alleged that the latter had offended sentiments with his jokes on Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
From Faruqui’s show to Raja Singh’s arrest: What unfolded in Hyderabad
Following several protests and First Information Reports (FIR) booked against him around the city, Raja Singh was arrested by the city police on August 23. However, he was granted bail on the same day owing to a technical error during his arrest procedure.
With several FIRs against him and a video threatening similar “comedic” content that would incite communal disharmony, the legislator was once again arrested on August 25 under the Preventive Detention Act.
The fresh FIR states that, out on bail, Singh had claimed that it was not possible for him to be sent to jail and the police would be unable to stop him from releasing another similar video. In the FIR, the police stated that his statements had “provoked the youth” to take to the streets.
Singh has been booked under sections 153A, 295A, 505 (1)(b)(c), 505 (2), 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
