A court in Assam’s Barak Valley has issued a warrant against BJP legislator Shiladitya Dev after he failed to appear before the court on Thursday in connection with a case related to hate speech.
The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of the Karimganj district has issued the warrant against Dev and asked the police to ensure that the BJP legislator is present before the court on June 23.
Junaid Ahmed, a Congress worker in Karimganj had filed a case against Dev as the BJP legislator during one of his speeches stated that 80 percent of the Muslims living in Assam are of Bangladeshi origin and also questioned as to why ULFA (I) chief Paresh Baruah never trigger blasts during Eid celebrations.
Based on a FIR filed by Ahmed, the court took cognizance of the speech under several section of the IPC against the BJP legislator and asked him to appear before the court. Although Dev had earlier sent his advocate to appear before the court, he never appeared before it in connection with the case.
However, on Thursday neither Dev nor his advocate appeared before the court forcing the lower court to issue warrant against him.
The CJM asked the police to ensure that Dev is produced before the court on June 23.
Although Deb cannot be reached over phone, it is learnt that Dev’s father died two days back.