LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Police has booked AIMPLB spokesman Maulana Sajjad Nomani on sedition charges for allegedly hurting religious feelings during a speech in Hyderabad.

The Hazratganj police registered a case yesterday against Nomani based on a complaint by Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board, Waseem Rizvi.

The complainant has alleged that Nomani in his February 9 speech in the general council meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in Hyderabad had deliberately hurt religious feelings, police said.

"Referring to Rohingya Muslims, Nomani said attempts are underway to make the situation of Indian Muslims like that of their Rohingya counterparts. He even said he had proof of arms, ammunition and training being given to all, even in the smallest of villages, to make Indian Muslims suffer.

"This speech was widely broadcast by television channels, which had a mass impact," Rizvi said.

He also gave CDs as proof to the police to back his complaint.

Nomani has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language), police said.

He also faces charges under the IPC section 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 298 (uttering, words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person), they said.

Nomani, however rubbished the allegations as false and baseless.