Hate speech giver Akbaruddin Owaisi arrested

Mr Owaisi spent six hours today at a state-run hospital where doctors examined him to determine if he is medically fit to be questioned.

Mr Owaisi has been arrested by the police of Nirmal town in the Adilabad district; he was scheduled to appear before the police yesterday but sought four days' exemption on medical grounds.

A speech made by Mr Owaisi in Nirmal, nearly 200 kms from Hyderabad, led to charges of spreading communal hatred and waging war against the state.

Mr Owaisi belongs to the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen or MIM party; his brother, Asaduddin, is a parliamentarian.

Mr Owaisi's medical report showed he has a hernia and is finding it difficult to walk on account of complications from a bullet injury in his right thigh. He complained today of sharp pain in his abdomen,

Through the day, the opposition BJP and other parties accused the ruling Congress and Mr Owaisi of using a lengthy medical exam to delay his arrest.

Mr Owaisi's party, the MIM, was an ally of the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh till November.

Mr Owaisi returned to Hyderabad from London on Monday morning to deal with his police cases.

Mr Owaisi petitioned the Andhra Pradesh High Court yesterday, asking for the cases against him to be dropped. The petition is likely to be heard on Wednesday.

The government has been criticised for its inaction against the politician. For weeks after his hate speeches were delivered and broadcast on local channels owned partly by other members of his party, there were no cases registered against him.