NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Police that no coercive action should be taken against Delhi Minorities Commission chief Zafarul Islam Khan till June 22, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Khan has been booked by Delhi Police on the charge of sedition over a statement on social media. Granting this interim protection, a single judge bench of the High Court presided by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri has also asked the Delhi Police to submit a status report and posted the matter for hearing on June 22.
Reacting to the relief granted by the court, Khan speaking to IANS over the phone said, "I was sure that this verdict would come because there was nothing in the case and many lawyers have admitted this fact. However, I would say that whatever I said in that tweet, should not have been said."
Khan moved the petition through advocate Vrinda Grover in which he said that he is a law abiding senior citizen of India and is a public servant serving as the Chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission. He is a scholar, author of repute and a senior citizen aged about 72 years.
The plea stated that he apprehends his arrest on a motivated, untenable and absolutely frivolous complaint which has been registered by the Special Cell under Sections 124A/153A of the Indian Penal Code.
Islam had on April 28 posted controversial comments on his Facebook page. "Mind you, bigots, Indian Muslims have opted until now not to complain to the Arab and Muslim world about your hate campaigns and lynchings and riots. The day they are pushed to do that, bigots will face an avalanche," Khan had written on Facebook.
Delhi Police Special Cell registered the FIR on the complaint of a Vasant Kunj resident. According to the FIR, the copy of which is with IANS, Khan has been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc,). (IANS)