5 Years After COVID 'Super Spreader' FIR Against Markaz Head, Delhi Police Probe Finds 'Nothing Objectionable': Report

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Over five years after Maulana Mohd Saad Kandhalvi was accused of being a 'super spreader' of COVID-19 for organising a Tablighi Jammat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz in the national capital, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has found his speeches to be 'unobjectionable'

The investigation officer from the Delhi Police's Crime Branch has informed seniors that“nothing objectionable” was found in Saad's speeches recovered from his laptop, The Indian Express reported on Thursday.

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An FIR for culpable homicide was filed against Maulana Saad and others on 31 March, 2020. The complaint, from the SHO of Hazrat Nizamuddin police station, alleged that Saad had urged followers to defy the lockdown and social distancing in a WhatsApp audio recording circulated on 21 March 2020.

“A laptop and some electronic equipment were deposited in the FSL (forensic science laboratory ) to extract data, and that is still awaited. Speeches of Saad were stored in the laptop, which were analysed earlier during the investigation, and nothing objectionable was found in them,” a senior officer told The Indian Express, citing the investigation report.

The officer has also informed his seniors at the Delhi Police headquarters that Saad has not joined the investigation so far, the report said citing sources.

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The Delhi High Court has already quashed 16 FIRs against 70 Tablighi Jamaat members, ruling that merely residing in a markaz did not violate government-issued prohibitory orders during the early days of the pandemic.

The Nizamuddin Markaz Mosque, also called Banglewali Masjid , is the main centre of Tablighi Jamaat in the national capital and is situated a few blocs ahead of the Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah.

The Tablighi Jamaat , an international Islamic religious group, was accused of spreading Covid by organising an international congregation in Delhi, at the Nizamuddin Markaz on 13-15 March, 2020.

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Founded in 1926 in Mewat (Nuh) by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, Tablighi Jamaat is a global Sunni Islamic missionary movement. Its members travel across the globe to 'spread faith.' The name literally means "Society for Spreading Faith."

Nothing objectionable was found in Saad's speeches recovered from his laptop.

As many as 952 foreign nationals, from 36 countries, were charge-sheeted in the case. At least 44 accused foreign nationals opted to face trial, while 908 pleaded guilty and paid fines ranging from ₹4,000 to ₹10,000.

(With agency inputs)

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