Delhi HC adjourns to May 28 hearing on plea seeking transfer of Maulana Saad case to NIA

May 13, 2020

New Delhi [India], May 13 : Delhi High Court on Wednesday adjourned for May 28 hearing on a petition seeking transfer of the case filed against Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a time-bound manner.
A division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anup Jairam Bambani, while adjourning the matter, asked the petitioner to bring the related documents to prove that the current investigation is not being conducted properly.
Delhi Police opposed the petition stating that investigation is going in a fine manner and added that there is no need to transfer the case to another agency.
The petitioner Ghanshyam Upadhyay sought the invocation of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and entrusting investigation to the NIA for organising a huge congregation by Tablighi Jamaat with delegates from foreign countries and its members allegedly violating the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The petition has also added that from media reports, it has also been found that Maulana Saad and/or organisation have their connection with the terrorist organisation like Al-Qaeda.
The case is currently with the Delhi Police's Crime Branch, which on May 6 interrogated the son of Maulana Saad, the chief of Tablighi Jamaat, and sought details of about 20 people, who had attended the Markaz at Nizamuddin in the national capital or were part of its management.
Earlier, an FIR was registered against Tablighi Jamaat chief and others under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897 in connection with the congregation held at Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital.