Mumbai court cautions Abu Azmi to exercise restraint during interviews

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi has been cautioned by a Mumbai court to exercise restraint during interviews as any irresponsible statement by a senior politician like him can spark riots reported the PTIAdditional Sessions Judge V G Raghuwanshi schooled Abu Azmi while granting him anticipatory bail on Tuesday in a case filed against the SP legislator for his remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb according to the PTIThe offence concerns some statements made during an interview and it means police do not need custody for seizure of any article or interrogation the court said in the order a copy of which was made available on ThursdayNoting that Abu Azmi is a politician and businessman and it was improbable that he would run away from the course of justice the judge said it was a fit case to exercise discretion in his favourBefore parting with the order I would like to caution the applicant Azmi to exercise restraint on himself while giving interviews having regards to prevailing circumstances Any irresponsible statement can flare riots and create law and order problems the court said the news agency reportedI hope the applicant being a senior politician will understand his responsibility it addedThe case was registered last week against the MLA who represents the MankhurdShivaji Nagar constituency in the metropolis under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS over his remarks eulogising the medievalera Mughal emperorHe was booked under BNS sections 299 deliberate and malicious act insulting the religious beliefs of any group of people 302 hurting someones religious feelings and 3562 defamationAbu Azmi who is also the Samajwadi Partys Maharashtra unit president had said while talking to the media that during Aurangzebs reign Indias borders reached Afghanistan and Burma MyanmarOur GDP gross domestic product accounted for 24 per cent of world GDP and India was called a golden sparrow the opposition legislator had claimedAsked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Azmi had termed it a political battleThe remarks were made in the backdrop of the blockbuster Hindi film Chhaava based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj who was captured by Aurangzebs commander in 1689 Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his father legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are highly revered figures in MaharashtraSeeking anticipatory bail Azmi who has been suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till March 26 submitted in the court that his statements were made to the press spontaneously without any premeditated intention to insult any personality or hurt the religious feelings of any person reported the PTIAzmis lawyer Mubin Solkar had submitted before the court that the FIR did not disclose any offence against the SP legislatorThe allegations didnt show he had made the statements deliberately and with malicious intentions of outraging religious sentiments Solkar had arguedThe prosecution had opposed his plea saying that after the release of a movie religious sentiments of people are volatile and in such circumstances the applicant made controversial statements in his interviewAfter hearing both sides the court said that the investigation was at the primary stage and therefore it will not be fair to comment upon the interview given by the applicantFurther the judge said that he was surprised to hear that the investigating officer did not have the video recording of the alleged interview till iquesttodayiquest and he registered an offence without watching itwith PTI inputs