Maulana Saad Khandalvi, is in the police radar. The Delhi Police have traced Nizamuddin Markaz chief to be living in the Zakir Nagar area of South Delhi.
Since he is under “self quarantine”, police will take him into custody only after he finishes that period of quarantine. His lawyers say he has put himself under self-quarantine and that’s why he is unable to join the investigation now.
Maulana Saad is booked 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 disregarded the guidelines issued by the government in the light of the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic which is spreading rapidly. He is wanted in an offence lodged by the Delhi Police under sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and sections of the Indian Penal Code, for violating government directions on steps to be taken for avoiding the spread of Wuhan Coronavirus.
Thousands of people from across the country and abroad attended the religious congregation that he held which health officials say has contributed to one out of every three Cornoavirus cases in the country. Delhi Police crime branch has stuck two notices outside Saad’s premises under Section 91 of CrPC in the last two days.
Over 3000 people are believed to have participated in the congregation at the Markaz Nizamuddin last month in violation of the restrictive orders. In the midst of all the furore, municipal authorities have also discovered that the Markaz is situated in an illgal building, which can be demolished anyday now.
Lead picture : UNI