After court’s order, Delhi Police hand over Nizamuddin Markaz keys to Maulana Saad
New Delhi, November 29 (KMS): The Delhi Police have handed over the keys of Nizamuddin Markaz, the headquarters of the Tableeghi Jamaat, to its Ameer, Maulana Saad, after a period of over two and a half years.
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the police to hand over the keys of the Markaz, which was closed in March 2020 for holding a Tabliqhi Jamaat congregation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Delhi police counsel contended before the court that it has not been provided with the documents as to who is the actual owner of the Nizamuddin Banglewali Masjid and it can hand over the keys only to the person from whom they had taken possession, who is Maulana Muhammad Saad.
When police claimed before the court that Maulana Saad is missing, a member of the managing committee of the markaz said he is very much there on its premises and can appear before the agency to get the keys.
Justice Jasmeet Singh during the hearing said, “You (police) have taken the possession from some person. You return the possession to that person. I am not adjudicating an FIR for title of property here that is not the issue before me. You find out what you have to do but give the keys. You cannot keep it with you.”
The high court was hearing a petition filed by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking a direction to reopen the Nizamuddin Markaz that houses a masjid, Madarsa Kashif-ul-Uloom, and a hostel. It was closed after the onset of the Covid-19.
It is to mention here that the Delhi Police’s crime branch on a complaint by Nizamuddin station house officer in Delhi had in March 2020 lodged an FIR against seven persons, including the cleric, for holding a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Several FIRs were registered under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, the Foreigners Act and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the Tablighi Jamaat event.
