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Updated: Mar 31, 2020 14:03 IST

The city cleric of Uttar Pradesh’s Mawana and his two of his associates have been booked for hiding information about 10 religious preachers from abroad, who were living in a mosque in the town since March 17, police said on Tuesday.

Rajendra Tyagi, an inspector of Mawana police station, said five of the preachers are from Sudan, four from Djibouti and one from Kenya.

“A case under sections 188, 270 and 271 of IPC (Indian Penal Code) and foreigners act has been registered against shahar qazi Maulana Nafees Qazmi and his two associates Dr Aslam Advocate and Naimuddin,” said Tyagi.

All the preachers have been asked to stay inside the mosque for a 14-day coronavirus quarantine and health officials will keep a close watch on them during the period, he said.

The passports of all the preachers have also been confiscated for an investigation.

Also read: 35 booked in UP for hiding travel history, defying quarantine

Tyagi said that a joint team of health officials led by Dr Satish Bhaskar, the Mawana community health centre incharge, and police personnel rushed to the Bilal Mosque in Heeralal locality of the town on Monday.

They found the mosque locked from outside and after unlocking it they found 10 foreigner preachers inside it. They were, however, wearing masks and also maintaining a safe distance from each other.

The team directed them to remain in quarantine and not to come in contact with anyone.

Qazmi and his associates have raised their objection against the police action. The shahar qazi said he was not aware that the preachers were living in the mosque.

Dr Advocate said he had never participated in religious activities inside the mosque and he has no role in allowing the preachers to stay in the mosque.

There are 93 people, including 11 foreigners, in the state who have contracted Covid-19 till date, according to the Union health ministry.