A non-cognizable offence against a doctor have been lodged by Aurangabad Police for allegedly sharing a post on social media terming the Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Mohammad Saad a ‘terrorist’. According to the police, the doctor had posted Saad’s photograph on social media with a caption, “Wanted, please inform your local police if you have any input about the location of this terrorist.”

The Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi’s Nizamuddin has emerged as a hotspot for the pandemic after over 2100 people were evacuated from the building in last week of March. Addressing a gathering in the Markaz building on 23 March, Maulana Saad was heard instigating the Muslims present to defy lockdown and gather at mosques as it is the time to increase mosques. Mocking the government’s call to close mosques and religious places amidst the Chinese coronavirus outbreak, Maulana Saad had called the contagion a ‘conspiracy’ to create fear amongst Muslims and keep them away from mosques.

Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad has been absconding since March 28 and search operation is still underway. Maulana Saad is wanted in an offence lodged by the Delhi Police under sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and sections of the Indian Penal Code, for violating government directions on steps to be taken for avoiding spread of Wuhan Coronavirus.

Read: 30-year-old man shot dead in Prayagraj over remarks on Tablighi Jamaat’s role in spreading coronavirus, accused Md Sona nabbed

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However, the Aurangabad Police under Shiv Sena-NCP and Congress government has decided to take action against the doctor who likened the man who defied government guidelines and wilfully exposed the citizens to the pandemic with a terrorist. Police Sub-Inspector Prabhakar Sonawane lodged the offence against the doctor under Section 505 (b)(c) of the Indian Penal Code. The Assistant Police Inspector, G B Sonawane of Pundaliknagar police station, “Offence was lodged against the doctor by police as preventive action. He was detained and issued notice as per law.”

The Tablighi Jamaat event have been an epicentre for maximum cases of coronavirus infection across the country. As per Union Health Ministry, they account for 30% of total COVID-19 cases in India and a staggering 50% cases in Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of people including foreign nationals who participated in the religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat have been found positive of novel coronavirus and approximately 25000 have been traced and quarantined.

OpIndia is deliberately choosing not to publish name and other details of the doctor who is arrested by Aurangabad Police.