A case has been registered against him and six other members of the Tablighi Jamaat for organising a congregation amid lockdown because of COVID-19 in India. The Crime Branch of Delhi Police is probing the matter and Deputy Commissioner of Police Joy Tirkey is supervising it.

 

Saad has been served notice under section 91 (summons to produce document or other things) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The police have sought only information from him. The investigators have stated that they do not want Saad to join the probe as of now.

 

However, Shahid Ali, a lawyer hired by Tablighi Jamaat, told IANS that they have not received any second notice from police as of now.

 

Saad had informed police that he is in self-quarantine and shared his address with the police.

 

Further, for two continuous days, Tirkey along with his team went to Markaz in Nizamauddin to collect some evidences. He also spoke to some of the people living in the nearby areas.

 

Earlier, Saad, through his lawyer, had submitted some documents, mostly in Urdu, to police. The police had served notice to Saad and sought answers and documents on 26 queries. The lawyer Shahid Ali had stated that they had submitted only available information to police and sought more time as the entire Markaz is closed and lockdown is implemented. "We were unable to share more information or documents at this point of time. We had informed the police and they have given more time," Ali had stated.

 

The Crime Branch had asked 26 questions and sought relevant documents in support of the answers from the organiser. The questions were addressed to Mohammad Saad, the organiser of the event.

 

He is one of the accused in a case registered by the police for violation of Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Act on March 31. The case is registered under various sections of Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code.

 

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 in this year?

 

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

 

It has also asked for PAN number, bank account and bank statements of the organisation, list of employees working in the organisation and number of religious gathering organised from January 1 till date. The cops also sought details of all devotees including foreigners who came after March 12. They sought original register of the record of the people who attended the event after March 12.

 

The crime branch unit of Delhi Police which is probing the case also sought details of persons from government agencies who visited the Markaz after March 12.

 

The policemen, probing the case, further sought details of a map or site plan of the premises. They also asked whether CCTV was installed in the premises and if yes then sought details of the cameras.

 

The sleuths also want to know whether any written guidelines were issued to Mohammad Saad by any authority to hold religious events 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 date-wise list of invitees after March 12 are also sought. The police also want to know date-wise list of inmates who were taken to hospital after March 12 and date-wise list of inmates taken to mosques or other places.