The All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator, who was assaulted by dozen-odd BJP corporators in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation general body meeting for opposing a condolence resolution on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has been sent to judicial custody for a year.
According to Indian Express, the Aurangabad Police took action against AIMIM corporator Sayyed Mateen Rashid under Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug-Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act, 1981 — or MPDA. Last week, Rashid was arrested for allegedly promoting enmity between members of two communities. He was arrested after some BJP corporators lodged a complaint, accusing Rashid of promoting enmity between members of two communities. He was later granted bail on Tuesday, but minutes after his release, a team from City Chowk police station in Aurangabad reached Harsul jail where he was lodged and served the order issued by the city commissioner under MPDA.
Later, Rashid was sent to judicial custody for a year. Aurangabad Commissioner Chiranjeev Prasad told the leading daily, “Serious offences like arson, rioting, inciting mob for breach of communal harmony, creating alarm in society (invite action)…hence (the police were) left with no choice but to book him under MPDA. Other preventive actions failed to check him.”
Rashid in past also was surrounded by controversy as he had protested against the singing of national anthem in the civic body.