‘No Coercive Measures’ Against Minorities Panel Chief: Delhi HC

Zafarul Islam Khan was booked for sedition by Delhi police on 30 April for a post on Twitter.

An FIR was filed against Zafarul Islam Khan on 30 April for a post on Twitter where he had thanked the Kuwaiti government for taking note of the attacks on Indian Muslims.

(Photo: Erum Gour/The Quint)

In a hearing for securing anticipatory bail for Delhi Minorities Commission chairman, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, the Delhi High Court ordered that no coercive measures be taken against Khan.

The court has granted interim protection to the minorities panel chief until the next date, 22nd June 2020. The bail plea was filed by Supreme Court advocate Vrinda Grover.

A case was registered against the Khan, based on the complaint by a Vasant Kunj resident, on 30 April. The Sections invoked are 124A (sedition) and 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code.

The anticipatory bail plea was moved after Delhi police landed up at Delhi Minorities Commission chairman Dr Zafarul Islam Khan’s residence on the evening of Wednesday 6 May, a week after he was booked for sedition. The police had left without questioning Khan.

While the FIR reads that Khan’s post was “provocative” in nature and “intended to cause disharmony and create rift in the society”, he has told The Quint this case will not stand in court. In the post Khan had thanked the Kuwaiti government for taking note of the attacks on Indian Muslims and said that there would be an avalanche in India if Indian Muslims chose to complain to the Arab world.

On 8 May, Grover had moved an anticipatory bail petition for urgent listing before the Delhi High Court.