2007 hate speech: SC to hear Wednesday plea by Azam Khan against order to give voice sample

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Wednesday a plea filed by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan challenging an order passed by a trial court to give voice sample in a case for allegedly delivering a hate speech and using derogatory language against former chief minister Mayawati in 2007.

The voice sample has been sought to ascertain a match with Khan’s speech which was recorded on a CD that he made during a public meeting in Rampur’s Tanda area in 2007.

A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and S V N Bhatti took note of the submission by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khan, seeking urgent hearing.

Khan has challenged the July 25 order of the Allahabad High Court which disposed of his plea and upheld the order of the trial court in Rampur.

The complaint was registered by one Dheeraj Kumar Sheel against Khan at the Tanda police station under SC/ST Act in 2007, charging him with delivering a hate speech and allegedly using derogatory language against BSP supremo and then chief minister Mayawati.

The case was registered in Rampur under the Indian Penal Code sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 171-G (false statement in connection with an election).

The police had also invoked section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Khan.