Gujarat Police probing a hate speech case on Sunday detained Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari in Mumbai. Mufti Salman is currently at Ghatkopar police station.
Hundreds of supporters of the Mufti gathered outside the police station demanding his immediate release, bringing traffic to a standstill in the area, the official said, adding that police have strengthened security.
Mufti and two others were arrested under Sections 153B (promoting enmity between different religious groups), 505 (2) (statements circulated to incite offence against a community) of the Indian Penal Code days after a speech he made in Gujarat’s Junagadh was circulated online.
The two others — Mohammad Yousuf Malek and Azim Habib Odedara — are local organisers and were already arrested by the Gujarat Police before Mufti’s detention. The Gujarat Police then reached out to the Maharashtra Police seeking help to arrest the cleric.