The Andhra Pradesh High Court rejected a petition seeking to remove a video of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Akbaruddin Owaisi's hate speech from YouTube.

Advocate J V S Rama Rao, who filed the PIL in this regard, argued that the hate speech posted on YouTube was creating hatred among a section of community disrupting the communal harmony.

However, the division bench observed that removing the video from YouTube would be an infringement of the Right to Freedom of Expression. "There may be people who may feel happy to listen to the speech, while some others may protest; and some others might go through the speech only to know what is happening around them. Banning such post on YouTube is against Freedom of Expression of the people," the bench said.

The high court also said that if Akbaruddin Owaisi has no objection to having the video posted on YouTube, why should it bother the petitioner.

Meanwhile, Akbaruddin Owaisi has been remanded to judicial custody till January 22 and has been charged with additional cases, including under Section 124-a (Sedition), 120-b (criminal conspiracy), 505 (making public statement intending to cause public alarm and disturb tranquility) and 188 (violation of public order) of the Indian Penal Code.

The police had already filed cases against Akbaruddin under Sec 121 (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India, Sec 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and Sec 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of IPC.