Jamaat organiser in self-quarantine, police probing role of others

Mohammad Saad, the organizer of the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizamuddin, is under self-quarantine and investigators are now probing the role of other accused in the case and scanning the available documentary evidence.

A senior IPS officer said, "Today a team inspected the building to ascertain where all these people belonging to Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin were staying. The building was disinfected before the team visited it.".

Hundreds of Tablighi followers visited the Makaz headquarters on or just before the countrywide lockdown began.

The officer said that Markaz authorities have sought time to revert on the 26 queries put to them. They have said that due to lockdown, the documents related to building cannot be accessed.

Advocate Shahid Ali, the lawyer of Mohammad Saad, said, "In pursuance to notice, we have filed a reply and have sought more time to produce documents as most of the offices/departments are closed due to the lockdown."

Sources stated that prima facie it seems that the officer in-charge of the Nizamuddin police station was fully aware about the congregation during the lockdown as well as during the 'Janata curfew' announced by Prime Modi on March 21. The congregation took place less than 500 meters from the police station.

Sources also alleged that a video, which surfaced recently, of a police officer asking organizers to end the congregation, surfaced recently and was "taken much after the lockdown in a bid to escape from disciplinary action".

By the time that video was purportedly taken, cases of coronavirus-affected people linked to the event were reported from across the country.

Senior IPS officers in Delhi are looking into the role of the officer in-charge of Nizamuddin police station in the entire alleged "goof-up" that has sparked off a nationwide search for Tablighi attendees with reports emerging from various states of new clusters of coronavirus-affected people linked to the event.

The Crime Branch had asked 26 questions and sought relevant documents in support of the answers from the organiser. The procedure to put questions comes under Section 91 of Criminal Procedure Code. The Section empowers police to summon document related to a case. The questions were addressed to Mohammad Saad, the organiser of the event.

Saad is an accused in a case registered on March 31 by the police for violation of Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Act.

One of the questions is whether any permission from Delhi Police or other authority was obtained by the management of Markaz (Centre) for holding religious gathering this year.

The police has sought information such as full name, address and registration details of the organisation, details of office-bearers, of persons in Markaz committee and details of Income Tax returns filed by the organisation in last three years.

It has also asked PAN number, bank account and bank statements of the organisation, a list of employees working in the organisation and the number of religious gatherings organised from January 1 to date.

The police also sought details of all devotees, including foreigners who came after March 12. They sought original register of the people who attended the event after March 12.

The crime Branch Delhi Police, probing the case, also sought details of persons from government agencies who visited the Markaz after March 12.

The policemen, probing the case, also sought details of a map or site plan of the premises. They also want to know whether the CCTV is installed in the premises.

The sleuths also want to know whether any written guidelines were issued to Mohammad Saad by any authority to hold a religious event and any other correspondence between management and government authorities.

The police sought audio or video recording of the persons participating in Markaz. The police also wanted to know whether any devotee fell sick.

The police sought information regarding all steps taken to disperse the congregation at Markaz on March 12 and steps taken to disperse the congregation after promulgation of Section 144 CrPC on March 24.

The list of staff, volunteers and parking attendees and a date-wise list of invitees after March 12 are also sought. The police also want to know the date-wise list of inmates who were taken to hospital after March 12 and also a date-wise list of inmates taken to mosques or other places.

The police sought information about details of persons who attended Markaz and died thereafter. The police also sought details of curfew passes issued to anyone belonging to the Tablighi followers. IANS