Delhi Police on Wednesday opposed a plea in the High Court seeking direction to handover the investigation of a case against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Delhi Police had registered a case against Tablighi chief for holding a congregation in violation of the lockdown orders.

A Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani during the videoconference hearing asked the petitioner, a Mumbai-based lawyer, to place the judgments in support of his plea to transfer the investigation from Delhi Police Crime Branch to NIA.

The petition has also sought direction to the NIA to investigate the matter in a time-bound manner and monitor the probe by the High Court. It alleged that Delhi Police has failed to arrest the leader despite the lapse of considerable time.

Hearing on May 28

Delhi government opposed the plea saying that Delhi Police was conducting the investigation in a fair manner and argued that the petitioner has no locus standi to file the plea. The High Court has posted the case for further hearing on May 28.

The plea claimed that the crime branch of Delhi Police has failed in tracing out or apprehending Mr. Saad despite lapse of considerable time and his photograph being published in electronic media.