Delhi Minorities Commission Chairman moves anticipatory bail plea in Delhi HC

Delhi Minorities Commission Chairman Zafarul-Islam Khan has moved an anticipatory bail plea in Delhi High Court apprehending his arrest on a complaint registered by Special Cell of Delhi Police over his alleged seditious remarks on social media.

The anticipatory bail plea moved through advocate Vrinda Grover stated that Khan is a law-abiding senior citizen of India and is a public servant serving as the Chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission.

It said that he is a scholar, author of repute and a senior citizen aged about 72 years.

According to the lawyer, the court will hear the plea on May 12.

The plea said that Khan apprehends his arrest in a "motivated, untenable and absolutely frivolous complaint" which has been registered by Special Cell under Sections 124A/153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Khan had, on Wednesday, told the Cyber Cell that it can not compel him to go to any police station because of his old age and him suffering from old-age related physical illnesses.

However, he said that he is available and ready to co-operate in the probe at his home and so police can question him at his home.

The plea said that no offence has been committed by him and that the present FIR has been registered with a mala fide intention to harass and intimidate Khan.

It said that the FIR against the petitioner is misconceived, being made on a misrepresentation of facts and an erroneous, untenable reading of the law. As such, it does not warrant the curtailment of liberty and dignity of the petitioner, which is his guaranteed right under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, the plea added.

Several petitions are also pending in Delhi High Court seeking action against the inflammatory and threatening statements made by him on social media against the Hindu community on April 28 calling, labelling and referring the Hindu community as Hindutva bigots, and threatening the members of Hindu community of dire consequences.

The pleas against Khan in the High Court also said that he has intentionally and "extremely cleverly and with the intent of vigilantism and intention to cause a rift between religions at a sensitive time" when the country is suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

( With inputs from ANI )