Prophet remarks row: Delhi court sends 30 AIMIM workers to judicial custody

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday sent 30 All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party activists to 3-day judicial custody on various charges, including rioting, during a protest against suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who had made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

The Patiala House court in the city was dealing with the matter, in which an FIR was lodged against the protesters who were arrested under sections 147 (Punishment for rioting), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Several members of the AIMIM had gathered outside the Parliament Street police station to register their protest against suspended/sacked BJP leaders -- Nupur Sharma and Naveen K. Jindal -- over their derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed.

The protesters demanded the immediate arrest of the abovementioned BJP leaders. But as they raised slogans outside the Parliament Street police station, the police detained 33 of the protesters and took them to the Mandir Marg police station.

An FIR was also lodged against AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and several others for hate remarks against the backdrop of suspended BJP leaders' comments.

"We have lodged the FIR against those who were spreading messages of hate, inciting various groups, and creating situations which are detrimental to the maintenance of public tranquility. One case has been registered against Nupur Sharma and another one has been registered against multiple social media entities based on the analysis. Notices will be sent to the social media intermediaries for the details," Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa had said on Thursday.