The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital on Monday appraised the Delhi High Court that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has issued a show cause notice to the Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC), Zafarul Islam Khan, against whom an FIR has been lodged for making alleged "seditious" statements on social media.
Delhi government counsel Anupam Srivastava made the submissions while a division bench of the high court presided over by Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal heard the plea seeking the removal of Khan from the post of DMC chief.
Srivastava said that Baijal wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on April 30 to direct the concerned administration to initiate action as per the provisions against Khan.
He also submitted that Baijal had issued a show cause notice to Khan on May 8.
Following the submissions, the court disposed of the petition saying, "The authorities shall decide the matter in reasonable time."
The plea filed by one Subhash Chandra through Supreme Court advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava alleged that despite holding the responsible post of DMC Chairman, Khan had given a direct threat of inciting foreign attack on India.
"A bare perusal of the aforesaid public statement made by Respondent No.4 categorically reveals that Respondent No. 4 has brought hatred and contempt and has excited disaffection towards the sovereignty of India by instigating foreign countries to wage war against India," said the plea.
On April 28, Khan had 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 his Facebook page.
On Friday, Khan had apologised for his controversial remarks, saying that he never intended to tarnish the image of India. He also removed the controversial post from social media.
The plea said, "It is respectfully submitted that by making the aforesaid seditious and derogatory statement, the Respondent No.4 has abused the position of Chairperson in such a manner that his continuance in office is detrimental to the interests of the minorities as well as to the public interest."
"A bare perusal of the aforesaid public statement made by the Respondent No. 4 (Zafarul Islam) further categorically reveals that he has deliberately and intentionally promoted enmity between different groups on the ground of religion and has done acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony," the plea added.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered the FIR on the complaint of a Vasant Kunj resident. The complaint was lodged with the Lodhi Colony office of the Special Cell after the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Safdarjung Enclave, forwarded it.
The investigation has been handed over to Special Cell inspector Praveen Kumar.
According to the FIR, the copy of which is with , Khan was 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.).
( With inputs from IANS )