Bengaluru cops ban Asaduddin Owaisi from entering city

City Police Commissioner has imposed prohibitory orders banning the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi from entering the city a week from Thursday, days before his party was to hold a public meeting.

In his order, Commissioner M N Reddi has also prohibited him from participating or speaking at any public meeting or function directly or through audio-visual or any other media in the city.

Reddi said he has banned Owaisi by using the powers vested on him under section 144(3) CrPC.

Owaisi, who in the past has been accused of making hate speeches, said he would challenge the ban in court.

AIMIM had rescheduled its public meeting at Chota Maidan in Bengaluru on February 21 which was to be addressed by Owaisi and other leaders of the Hyderabad-based party.

Earlier, the Bengaluru Police had allowed the party to hold the rally on February 8 but later withdrew the permission.

AIMIM had challenged this in the Karnataka High Court.

Subsequently, the Bengaluru Police told the court they would allow the AIMIM meeting if the party made an application to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Division).

Thereafter, the AIMIM approached the DCP (East Division) for permission for the February 21 meeting.

However, a police team on Thursday visited AIMIM headquarters at Darussalam in Bengaluru and served the notice to the 45-year-old politician, issued on behalf of Reddi.

Earlier this month, the police had imposed a similar ban on VHP leader Praveen Togadia on grounds that his "provocative" and "inflammatory" speeches would have "grave" consequences and therefore, likelihood of breach of peace.

Defying multimedia gag by police, Togadia's video recorded speech was played at a rally in the city on February 8 in which he called for "Ghar Wapsi" and establishment of "Constitutional Hindu Nation".