India, March 12 -- A sessions court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi, who was booked by the Marine Drive police over his remarks hailing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The court asked him to appear before the Marine Drive police on March 12, March 13, and March 15, for investigation.

The controversy erupted on March 3 when the MLA called Aurangzeb a "good administrator", adding that during his reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma. "India was called a golden sparrow," the MLA had claimed. He further claimed if Aurangzeb had destroyed temples, he also destroyed mosques.

Based on the remarks, an FIR was registered against Azmi in Thane based on a complaint filed by Lok Sabha member Naresh ...