MQM founder’s bail extended in incitement inquiry

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has been bailed till September in the incitement speech inquiry pending further inquiries.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed to The News that the MQM leader appeared at a police station on the scheduled date of return to answer his bail and was asked to return at a date in middle of September. The police said investigation into the alleged incitement speeches continues. The police said that Hussain is being investigated on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

Altaf Hussain was arrested by Scotland Yard in an early morning raid on Tuesday 11 June. He was taken to a south London police station and kept there for just under 36 hours.

In a statement the police said Hussain had been arrested in relation to the hate speech of 2016 in which he had urged his followers to take the law into their own hands during a speech made from London to Karachi.