Delhi HC dismisses plea to transfer case against Tablighi Jamaat chief to NIA

New Delhi [India], December 11 : The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking to transfer 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 Talwant Singh dismissed the petition after the petitioner sought to withdraw the plea. The court, however, granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the Supreme Court, which is hearing a similar matter.
Petitioner Ghanshyam Upadhyay had sought the invocation of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and entrusting to the NIA, investigation in the case pertaining to allegedly organising a congregation at Tablighi Jamaat with delegates from foreign countries in violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Earlier, Delhi Police had opposed the petition stating that investigation is going on in a fine manner and added that there is no need to transfer the case to another agency.
The plea had also added that it has also been found, from media reports, that Maulana Saad and/or organisation has its connection with terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda.
The case is currently being probed by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, which had recently filed several chargesheets in connection with the Jamaat matter involving hundreds of foreign nationals in a trial court. The chargesheets have been filed under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005, and Indian Penal Code (IPC). The foreign nationals are being chargesheeted for violation of visa norms.
Earlier, an FIR was registered against Tablighi Jamaat chief and others in connection with the congregation held at Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital, which had reportedly become an epicenter for the spread of coronavirus.