Accused of promoting communal enmity, Kerala Islamic preacher MM Akbar arrested from Hyderabad airport

Islamic preacher MM Akbar, wanted for promoting enmity through school textbooks, was arrested on Sunday from the Hyderabad airport. A case was registered against Akbar, who is the managing director of Kerala-based Peace Foundation schools, in 2016. According to reports, he had been living in West Asia after the first round of arrests was made in 2016.

The Kerala Police had issued a lookout notice against Akbar, who was arrested on Sunday afternoon from the Rajiv Gandhi International airport while he was on his way to Melbourne. “We had issued a lookout notice for Akbar. He was detained at the Hyderabad airport today afternoon. Officials from Ernakulam (North) Police Station have taken custody of him,” Biji George, in-charge Assistant Commissioner (Special Branch) of Kochi Police was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

“A case against Akbar regarding promoting enmity had been registered. He was arrested in that connection,” he added. He is likely to be produced in court today.

The case was registered after it was found that textbooks for Class 3 students in Peace International School had offensive content. The FIR was lodged against Akbar and the publisher of the textbooks under section 153 A (promoting communal enmity). While three persons associated with the publisher were arrested, and are now out on bail, Akbar evaded arrest by fleeing the country.

According to The Hindu, the police will now investigate whether such books were part of a deliberate attempt to trigger communal hatred among students.