Maharashtra Govt seeks more time in Azmi case

MUMBAI, MARCH 29: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday sought more time to examine fresh evidence against Samajwadi Party leader Abu Az...

MUMBAI, MARCH 29: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday sought more time to examine fresh evidence against Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi and promised to make a statement on the issue before April 10 in the Legislative Assembly.

Making a statement on the floor of the House, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the investigating officials had asked for the original audio cassette and the tape recorder on which the speech of Azmi had been recorded. He said that the original cassette was with Leader of the Opposition Narayan Rane and that the latter had orally told the investigating officials that the original cassette would be made available to the police within two days.

He said that the investigating officials would examine the cassette after it was handed over to them by Rane and act accordingly. He added that two cassettes of Azmi’s speech submitted to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Speaker of the Assembly Arun Gujarathi had both been handed over to the police for investigation, but the original cassette was required.

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Bhujbal said that the J J Marg police station had already registered an offence on March 13, under Sections 153 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code against Azmi, corporator Wakarunnisa Ansari, Lalbahadur Singh, corporator Ehsaanullah Khan and Ali S Shamsulsaab for prima facie making objectionable statements at a public meeting on February 24 at Mastan Talao. He said that Azmi was arrested on March 19 and subsequently, released on a bail of Rs 950.

He said that getting the original cassette was necessary and after examining the same, appropriate action would be taken. He claimed that the government was not shielding Azmi as was alleged by the Opposition.

Earlier in the day, the Assembly was adjourned three times (first for 15 minutes from 10:00 a.m., then for 20 minutes from 10:15 a.m. and then till 1:00 p.m.) as members of the Opposition raised slogans demanding action against Azmi for making anti-national utterances.

Amid the din, the Deputy Speaker, Pramod Shende, put to vote and declared the passing of four non-official bills introduced by Sudhir Mungantiwar. The bills were – the Maharashtra Prevention of Noise Pollution Bill, the Bombay Homeopathic Practitioners’ (amendment) Bill, the Maharashtra Powerloom Workers (regulation of employment and welfare) Bill and the Minimum Wages (Maharashtra amendment) Bill.

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It may be recalled that Opposition members had stalled the proceedings of the Assembly on Tuesday forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day, over the Azmi issue. They had demanded immediate rearrest of Azmi and a statement from the government on the issue. The government had promised last week to make a statement within a week. The Opposition had alleged that the government was shielding Azmi as his party was a party of the ruling Democratic Front alliance.