LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain was granted bail on Wednesday in a hate speech case against him. Hussain was earlier arrested by Scotland Yard on Tuesday.
The Met police came out with an official statement:
“A man in his 60s arrested in connection with an investigation into a number of speeches made by an individual associated with the MQM in Pakistan has today, Wednesday, 12 June been bailed.”
Express Tribune added specifics that Hussain was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offenses contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007. On the other hand, the self-exiled leader will be reporting to Met police in mid-July.
https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk/status/1138838297868996608
In the official statement, Met police further stated that:
The investigation, which is being led by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, is focused on a speech broadcast in August 2016 by an individual associated with the MQM movement in Pakistan as well as other speeches previously broadcast by the same person.
Met police added that throughout the investigation, Met officers have been liaising with Pakistani authorities and inquiries are to continue. As per cases filed in Pakistan, Hussain is also wanted by Pakistani authorities in cases of similar nature.
As per reports, the United Kingdom's lead prosecution agency, the crown prosecutor service, stated that there was insufficient evidence against Hussain.
This is not the first time the MQM leader has been arrested and brought in for questioning. He was arrested previously in cases pertaining to money laundering.
Hussain's arrest and subsequent bail are part of a series of arrests back home where former President Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP was arrested on Monday. Hamza Shahbaz, nephew of the former premier Nawaz Sharif, was arrested the same day. Both the arrests were made by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The Met police came out with an official statement:
“A man in his 60s arrested in connection with an investigation into a number of speeches made by an individual associated with the MQM in Pakistan has today, Wednesday, 12 June been bailed.”
Express Tribune added specifics that Hussain was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offenses contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007. On the other hand, the self-exiled leader will be reporting to Met police in mid-July.
https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk/status/1138838297868996608
In the official statement, Met police further stated that:
The investigation, which is being led by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, is focused on a speech broadcast in August 2016 by an individual associated with the MQM movement in Pakistan as well as other speeches previously broadcast by the same person.
Met police added that throughout the investigation, Met officers have been liaising with Pakistani authorities and inquiries are to continue. As per cases filed in Pakistan, Hussain is also wanted by Pakistani authorities in cases of similar nature.
As per reports, the United Kingdom's lead prosecution agency, the crown prosecutor service, stated that there was insufficient evidence against Hussain.
This is not the first time the MQM leader has been arrested and brought in for questioning. He was arrested previously in cases pertaining to money laundering.
Other Arrests
Hussain's arrest and subsequent bail are part of a series of arrests back home where former President Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP was arrested on Monday. Hamza Shahbaz, nephew of the former premier Nawaz Sharif, was arrested the same day. Both the arrests were made by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB).