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Police ask Tablighi Jamaat head Maulana Saad to submit copy of Covid test report
The crime branch of Delhi Police — which is probing allegations of negligence by Tablighi Jamaat members that led Nizamuddin area to turn into a Covid-19 hotspot
The crime branch of Delhi Police — which is probing allegations of negligence by Tablighi Jamaat members that led Nizamuddin area to turn into a Covid-19 hotspot — has sent a notice to the religious sect’s head, Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, seeking a copy of his medical records where he tested negative for Covid-19. The area around Nizamuddin Basti in south east Delhi continues to remain a Covid-19 containment zone.
Maulana Saad has not joined the probe after an FIR was registered against him by the Delhi police for organising a religious gathering in March this year despite restrictions to combat the coronavirus spread.
Senior Delhi Police officers, authorised to speak to the media, did not comment on the investigation.
But crime branch officers, on condition of anonymity, said that Saad has been asked to submit a copy of medical tests from two different hospitals, showing he had tested negative for Covid-19. In the same notice, police have also asked Saad to get the test done from a government approved facility.
Maulana Saad, head of Tablighi Jamaat religious sect, had gone into self quarantine after a massive evacuation drive of his followers from inside the sect’s headquarters in Nizamuddin Basti by health department and police between March 29 and March 31 . While hundreds of Tablighi Jamaat members, who showed symptoms of Covid-19, were removed and taken to different quarantine centres in Delhi, the Maulana had left the building before the evacuation. His lawyers had then said that the Maulana was in home quarantine.
An investigating officer, who did not wish to be named, said, police are building a case against Saad, and he might be arrested soon.
“We have already seized the documents related to the congregation at the Markaz, which led to the spurt in the number of Covid-19 cases. We have also taken the statements of the crucial important documents linked to the case, “ the officer said.
HT has learnt from many mid-level police officers that Saad is in Delhi and police teams are keeping a watch on him.
“The investigating officers are gradually closing in on him. There is strong evidence against him on how he flouted regulations and did not ensure social distancing norms inside the Markaz,” the official said.
The official added that the investigating officer in the case is yet to get a nod from their superiors to summon Saad and question him.
“Maybe our seniors are waiting for members of Tablighi Jammat to be discharged from quarantine centres. Many of them are lodged in different parts of the city are still creating problems for doctors at the centres. Arresting Saad may prove to be more trouble for government officers at these centres. A lookout notice has already been issued against him, so that he cannot escape the country. We are still waiting for a nod from our bosses before moving in on him, “ an officer had told HT last week.
Police have filed a criminal case against Saad and six other top jamaat members on March 31 for defying a series of government directives, which curbed religious and large gatherings, issued to contain the spread of the virus in Delhi.
Saad’s lawyer could not be contacted for a comment.
On March, police and health department officials evacuated more than 2,300 persons from inside the Markaz building, headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat, where they had gathered for a religious congregation . The meetings continued despite orders by the Delhi government banning all religious events (March 13), restricting gatherings to 200 people (March 16), and then putting a four-person limit ( March 21) on all gatherings. Nizamuddin was also declared a containment zone after the evacuation. At least 21 evacuated persons had then tested positive for Covid-19.
