Hyderabad: Hyderabad police have arrested motivational speaker Munawar Zama and two owners of a hotel in Secunderabad for outraging religious feelings and provoking hatred after vandalism at a temple last week.
Munawar Zama was arrested by a police team from Maharashtra while two owners of Metropolis Hotel were picked up in the city.
They were booked and arrested by the police as a youth who attended a personality development programme conducted by Munawar Zama at the hotel had vandalised Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad on October 14.
Market police booked a case under sections 299, 192,196,223 and 49 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Munawar Zama and two others.
According to police, Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman who barged into the temple and damaged the idol came to Hyderabad from Mumbai early this month. The 30-year-old was attending a personality development workshop, which is organized by English House Academy under the correspondence of Munawar Zama, Md. Kafeel Ahmed and others at Metropolis Hotel, Regimental Bazar, Secunderabad.
Police claimed that that the hotel premises were rented illegally for running the academic course which had no formal permission. The police sealed the hotel.
However, Telangana High Court suspended the sealing of the hotel on a petition filed by its owner Abdul Rashid. He argued that the police are attempting to implicate him in a crime involving an individual.
Police said when the accused resorted to vandalism in the temple, locals reached the spot, caught hold of him and thrashed him. Police reached the spot and shifted the accused to a hospital.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Market Police Station under sections 333, 331(4), 196, 298, 299 of BNS.
Meanwhile, Munawar Zama’s arrest has come under criticism from various quarters. Many people on social media questioned the police action. They wanted to know why police did not take any action against BJP leader Madhavi Latha who instigated people to attack a mosque and the hotel.
Social media users pointed out that Munawar Zama has been working to empower students, build character, and promote education. They said the allegations against him were an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Founder of English House Academy, Munawar Zama is a motivational speaker and personality development trainer. According to his profile on ‘X’ he has been appreciated by the US Embassy, the British High Commission and the Embassy of Saudi Arabia.
English House Academy is said to have trained over 3 lakh individuals across India and the Gulf. Munawar Zama conducts personality development workshops at schools, colleges, universities, and hotels. According to his profile on Facebook account, five chief ministers applauded his services towards nation-building. A recipient of many awards, he is also said to have trained IPS officers in Delhi and Hyderabad.
