Mumbai Police initiates probe against Abu Azmi over Aurangzeb remark

The Mumbai Police have started an investigation into a case against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi over his remarks eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, officials said on Tuesday.

An FIR was registered on Monday against Azmi by police in neighbouring Thane on a complaint of Lok Sabha member Naresh Mhaske for allegedly attempting to hurt religious feelings.

The Thane police subsequently transferred the FIR to Mumbai, where a fresh case was registered at Marine Drive police station on Tuesday against Azmi under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an official said.
Azmi, who is the Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra president, had said that during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).

"Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," claimed the MLA from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai.

Asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political battle.

The remarks created outrage and Shiv Sena supporters had staged protests against Azmi.

The issue also rocked the state assembly, where members of the ruling parties demanded Azmi's suspension from the House.

Shiv Sena functionary Kiran Pawaskar on Monday went to the Marine Drive police station here, demanding action against Azmi and submitted a written complaint, the official said.

The Mumbai police have registered the case against Azmi under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs). 302 (Uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 356(1) & 356(2) (defamation), he said.

A probe was on into the case, the police added.