Telangana BJP MLA sent to jail for 14 days

A city court on Tuesday sent a BJP legislator Raja Singh to judicial custody for 14 days for making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

Raja Singh, who was arrested on Tuesday morning, was presented at Nampally Criminal Court amid tight security and high tension due to protests by his supporters and those opposed to him.

Police had resorted to baton charge to disperse the two groups who were raising slogans against each other.

Fourteenth Additional Metropolitan Magistrate remanded Raja Singh to judicial custody for two weeks. He is likely to be shifted to Chanchalguda Central Prison.

The member of Telangana Assembly was arrested in the morning after massive protests by Muslims at various places in Hyderabad demanding strong and immediate action against him.

Police registered cases against Raja Singh at various police stations in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. At Mangalhat police station, he was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create or promote feelings of enmity and hatred) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The MLA was also booked at Bahadurpura, Dabeerpura and Balanagar police stations in Hyderabad and in Sangareddy and Nizamabad districts.

Raja Singh on Monday night uploaded a video on Facebook making derogatory comments against the Prophet, triggering massive public outrage.

Scores of Muslims gathered at the police commissioner's office and also at different police stations on Monday night. The protesters demanded immediate action against Raja Singh. The protesters were taken into preventive custody and shifted to various police stations.

Protests were held at Bahadurpura, Bhavani Nagar, Nampally, Dabeerpura and other areas.

Leaders of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) lodged complaints against the BJP MLA at various police stations including Dabeerpura police station.

Raja Singh was taken into preventive custody last Saturday for threatening to disrupt comedian Munawar Faruqui's show. The comedian's show was held amid tight security.

The BJP MLA, who had alleged that the comedian insulted Hindu gods, posted a video on Facebook last night saying it was a 'comedy' video like Faruqui's comedy. The video was later removed.

Raja Singh, who allegedly repeated the derogatory remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, denied that he insulted sentiments of any community. He said it was a comedy video aimed against Faruqui.

Taking serious note of Raja Singh's action, the BJP on Tuesday suspended him and served him to show cause why he should not be expelled from the party.

Following the protests, police stepped up security in Hyderabad and in other parts of the state as a precautionary measure. Additional forces were deployed and police intensified patrolling in sensitive areas to prevent any untoward incident.

Traders in various parts of the old city and in Nampally, Mallepally and other areas downed shutters demanding action against the MLA.

The inauguration of a new flyover in Chandrayangutta was also postponed. Municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao was scheduled to inaugurate the flyover.