Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad who was booked by Delhi Police in April 2020 for holding a week-long religious congregation in New Delhi's Nizamuddin area in contravention of the notified rules to tackle COVID-19 pandemic is yet to join the probe despite several notices by Delhi Police.

On 31 March, the Delhi crime branch filed a first information report (FIR) against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Mohammad Saad and six others from the management of the organisation’s Delhi headquarters at Banglewali masjid near the famous Nizamuddin Dargah.

After the nationwide lockdown was announced, the hazards of Covid-19 were communicated verbally to Maulana Saad several times, including during a meeting held in the police station on 24 March 2020.

They deliberately, wilfully, negligently and malignantly disobeyed the lawful directions by the government, the statement in the FIR said.

It further said that written notices were issued in the name of Maulana Saad and others at the Markaz but were ignored.

The premise was inspected by sub-divisional magistrate of the area every day from 26 to 30 March and around 1,300 devotees were found to be residing in the premise without maintaining any social distancing or using facial masks or sanitizers.

According to the police, Kandhalvi is yet to join the probe despite several notices issued to him by the investigators but statements of his sons and office-bearers of the Markaz were recorded in connection with the case, reports The Indian Express.

Most of the forensic reports of documents and electronic devices seized from the centre have been received while a few are still awaited, a senior police officer said.