The Delhi police have booked Tablighi Jamaat Chief Maulana Saad Khandalvi for culpable homicide not amounting to murder on Wednesday. The charges of culpable homicide under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code was added to the FIR that was already lodged against the religious leader on March 31.
Delhi police had registered FIR against Maulana Saad under the Epidemics Act 1897 for allowing religious congregation in the month of March despite repeated warnings from the center and the state government. He had allegedly disregarded the guidelines issued by the government in the light of the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic which is spreading rapidly. Thousands of people from across the country and many from abroad attended the religious congregation, the event has now emerged as a hotspot for the maximum cases of coronavirus. However, Maulana Saad is still absconding.
Two of his relatives found positive for coronavirus
Two relatives of the Tablighi Jamaat Chief who are residents of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh have been tested positive for coronavirus.
Saharanpur District Magistrate Akhilesh Singh said that the patients have been shifted to a Level-1 hospital in Fatehpur. The locality Mohalla Mufti in which they resided has been categorized as a hotspot and containment zone.
The DM said, “In the investigation, it has been revealed that both were a part of the Nizamuddin Markaz event in Delhi last month. They were quarantined and tests were conducted, which came out positive.” The police had conducted surveillance and also checked their mobile details.
The District Magistrate said that the close contacts of Saad’s relatives will be identified, quarantined and will be tested for Coronavirus.
A total of 19 areas in the Saharanpur district have been declared hotspot and 44 people have been tested positive so far.
The state of Uttar Pradesh has reported 735 positive cases of coronavirus so far. 51 patients have been recovered and discharged while 11 succumbed to the disease.
Maulana still absconding
The Tablighi Jamaat chief is still absconding. The Delhi Police crime branch has sent two notices to Saad under Section 91 of CrPC. The police have asked Maulana Saad to provide some documents. The second notice was sent after the first notice was found “unsatisfactory”.
As Muhammad Saad remained untraceable, the Delhi police slapped a notice with the 36 questions at his farmhouse in Shamli near Delhi. After the first notice was found unsatisfactory, the Delhi police slapped the second notice. The police say that they are closing in on the Maulana.
Earlier, there were reports that the head of the Tablighi Jamaat, Maulana Saad, who claims to have quarantined himself in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak was reportedly using his time to gather support and mobilise the Jamaatis. Saad, a resident of Zakir Nagar is allegedly hiding on the outskirts of Delhi at a supporter’s house. Reportedly, the Islamic cleric had hidden in a densely populated area, knowing well that it could help evade arrest.