Nizamuddin Markaz Chief Maulana Saad Traced To Delhi's Zakir Nagar Area Via Electronic Surveillance: Reports

Maulana Mohammed Saad, the elusive chief of Nizamuddin Markaz of Tablighi Jamaat, was traced by the investigators to Delhi's Zakir Nagar area on Wednesday. The latest media reports say that the cops detected Saad's presence in Zakir Nagar via electronic surveillance. The Markaz chief has reportedly conveyed via his lawyer that he was under self-quarantine and was unable to join the probe. The investigators have told Maulana to hand over all the electronic devices to the cops. The Markaz chief came under radar after over 2,000 Jamaatis were taken out in a 16-hour-long mission from the six-storyed headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat. Due to the congregation and subsequent travel by the Jamaatis, Nizamuddin emerged as a coronavirus hotspot in the National Capital. Around 30 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in India are linked to Tablighi Jamaat. While administrative lapses are being questioned, the role of Maulana is also being probed. (Coronavirus LIVE Updates)

This comes days after the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police sent a second notice to Maulana Saad over the Tablighi congregation that was held during mid-March. Maulana has maintained a stoic silence and refused to cooperate. Earlier, there were reports that Maulana Saad was hiding in Mewat. It should be noted that an FIR has been already been lodged against Maulana Saad and five others for violating the coronavirus lockdown.

The Delhi Markaz of Tablighi Jamaat came under the spotlight after seven deaths were reported from Telangana in last week of March. The travel history revealed that all of them had attended the religious congregation in Nizamuddin. On March 30th, the health officials reached the Tablighi Jamaat headquarters and told the people living in the building about the viral infection. Tablighi Jamaat is an Islamic Movement that originated in India. Apart from India, the other biggest congregation of the sect took place in Pakistan, where similar cases of COVID-19 infections were reported. A more serious spread from a sect’s gathering was reported from Malaysia, where at least 500 from the nearly 16,000 who gathered for the four-day event starting on Feb 27 at the Sri Petaling Mosque compound, according to a New York Times report.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said that the death count due to the novel coronavirus has rose to 149 and the number of positive cases have also witnessed a major spike. According to the ministry, 5,194 positive cases have been reported till date. While the number of active COVID-19 cases is 4,643, as many as 401 people were cured and discharged and one had migrated, it said. According to the ministry’s data updated at 9 am, 25 new deaths have been reported since Tuesday. The total number of cases include 70 foreign nationals. Sixteen deaths were reported from Maharashtra, two each from Delhi, West Bengal, Haryana and Tamil Nadu and one from Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra has reported the most coronavirus deaths at 64, followed by Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh at 13 each and Delhi at 9.