Advocate Fuzail Ayyubi, lawyer of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad, on Monday, said that Maulana Saad is not an absconder as he has responded to the notices seeking information under Section 91 of the CrPC served by Delhi Police in the Nizamuddin congregation case.
A search has already taken place at his residence in Delhi in the presence of his son. His native place in Uttar Pradesh has also been searched in connection with the case.
"Maulana Saad is not an absconder, whenever he will be asked to appear before Delhi Police he will surely appear. We have received three notices so far and we have responded to all three of them," Ayyubi told here.
An FIR was registered against Jamaat chief Saad and others under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897 in connection with a congregation held at Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital.
The Nizamuddin congregation has become an epicentre of coronavirus spread with several who attended the event testing positive and infecting hundreds across the country.
Advocate Ayubi also indicated that Maulana Saad has tested negative for COVID-19.
"We responded to the recently issued third notice in the case as well. He (Saad) has already joined the probe by responding to the notices of the investigation officer (IO) and we have already written to the IO for fully cooperating in the probe," Ayyubi said.
"People of Markaj and Tablighi Jamaat are fully co-operating with Delhi Police. Police recently searched the office of Maulana Saad in the Markaj and the offices and residences of other accused in the matter. So, it would be wrong to say that we are not co-operating," he added.
So far, three notices have been issued to Saad by Delhi Police in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a money laundering case against Saad and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on a predicate offence registered by Delhi Police.
( With inputs from ANI )