Sources say, during the two hours of questioning, Maulana Saad’s son was also asked about the whereabouts of a few key members of the Markaz who have not joined the investigation yet.
New Delhi, May 6:
Son of Nizamuddin Markaz chief Maulana Saad was interrogated by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on Tuesday in a bid to trace the missing Tablighi Jamaat members and the functioning of the organisation.
Sources say, during the two hours of questioning, Maulana Saad’s son was also asked about the whereabouts of a few key members of the Markaz who have not joined the investigation yet.
India Today TV has learnt that apart from questioning him to understand how the Markaz affairs were managed (finances and administration), he was also told that Mulana Saad should get his coronavirus test done at AIIMS or a certified hospital. Earlier, reports from a private laboratory confirmed that Maulana Saad has tested negative for coronavirus.
The crime branch has prepared a list of 20 members who handled the day-to-day functioning of Nizamuddin Markaz. While a few did join the probe, others have not yet appeared before the probe agency for questioning.
It is alleged that Maulana Saad disregarded government guidelines that were issued in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Despite police warnings, he allegedly allowed a religious congregation to be organised at Nizamuddin Markaz in March.
Thousands of people from across the country and hundreds of foreigners were a part of the religious congregation in early March, which later became the single-largest cluster of coronavirus cases in India.
According to the Union Home Ministry, over 4,200 positive coronavirus cases have links to people who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz event.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch had on March 31 lodged an FIR against seven people, including the cleric, on a complaint filed by the Station House Officer of Nizamuddin police station for holding the congregation in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Later, the Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was added to the FIR.
Courtesy: India Today
