Muslim cleric gets court breather

The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted temporary and conditional protection to Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani, who has been accused of hurting religious sentiments.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted temporary and conditional protection to Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani, who has been accused of hurting religious sentiments.

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The court stopped the Ghatkopar police from arresting the maulana till March 26 when his plea for pre-arrest bail will come up for hearing.

But the maulana, a member of radical group Ahle Hadis, will have to give an undertaking saying that he would not leave the city and would not conduct any religious discourse here.

Siraj Ahmed Abdul Rashid Shaikh has alleged that the Saudi Arabia-based Maulana, while addressing a gathering on January 28, had made abusive remarks against a saint, Khwaja Garib Nawaz.

Rabbani moved the high court after the sessions court rejected his anticipatory bail application.

His petition said he has been falsely implicated because of differences between the two

sects — Ahle Hadis and Barelvi Sunni.