Threats to judges over hijab verdict: Karnataka police secure custody of another accused

The Karnataka police on Friday secured the custody of Zamaal Mohammad Usmani, another accused from its Tamil Nadu counterpart, in connection with life threat issued to three-bench judge over the hijab verdict.

Vidhana Soudha police, who are investigating the case, produced the accused Jamaal before the court and secured his custody for eight days.

Earlier, the state police had taken the accused Kovai Rahmathulla, another accused, into custody in the same matter.

"We are investigating about the support system and organised syndicate which is working against the interests of the nation," police said.

Both the accused are office-bearers of the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat (TNTJ). The arrests were made after multiple complaints against the accused in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The special bench comprising Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justices Krishna S Dixit and Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin, while dismissing the petitions demanding hijab in classrooms, underlined that wearing of hijab is not an essential part of Islam.

Several organisations in Tamil Nadu protested against the judgement. During the protest, the video containing the speech of the accused Kovai Rahamathulla went viral. In his speech the accused mentions about a district judge in Jharkhand being mowed down during morning walks last year. He even stated that people know where the Chief Justice of Karnataka go to walk.

People are very emotional in his community, he maintained. "If anything happens to them, the BJP is waiting to put blame on us," he had allegedly stated.

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief and former Karnataka cadre IPS officer K. Annamalai has written to the Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice M.N. Bhandari and demanded an inquiry.

In Karnataka, Vidhana Soudha police in Bengaluru have booked an FIR based on the complaint by advocate Sudha Katwa. In the complaint it is mentioned that there is death threat, criminal intimidation, use of abusive language and also breach of peace as well as communal harmony in the state.

The police have registered FIR under IPC Sections 506 (1), 505 (1) (B), 153 A, 109 and 504. In another development, advocate Umapathy has filed a representation with the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court in this connection. Advocate's Association Bengaluru has also condemned the development.

The Karnataka police department has tightened the security to the Karnataka High Court judges.