By Manoj R Nair, "The High Court wants to read hate preacher’s speeches" - Mumbai Mirror - Mumbai, IndiaFriday, March 19, 2010
The Bombay High Court puts off Maulana Sheikh Rabbani’s anticipatory bail hearing until it has gone through transcripts; tells police not to arrest cleric till next hearing on April 7
The Bombay High Court has asked for the transcripts of two CDs, in which a cleric belonging to the radical Ahle Hadees sect allegedly spews hatred against Dargah-going Muslims, especially followers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Garib Nawaz.
On Thursday, the court heard the anticipatory bail application of the cleric, Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani, whose earlier plea for bail had been rejected by the Sessions Court. Rabbani had approached the courts for bail after a complaint was filed at the Ghatkopar Police Station against him by a local resident, Siraj Ahmed Shaikh, who alleged that he had hurt the sentiments of other Muslims with his offensive comments about the saint.
The comments were made by Rabbani at a meeting on January 28 at Chirag Nagar in Ghatkopar.
The police have registered a case under Sections 295 (A) and 153 (A) of the IPC that relates to incitement of religious hatred. The bail application will be heard again on April 7 and the police have been instructed by the court not to arrest the cleric till it gives its decision on bail. The court wanted to see the transcripts before giving its decision in the bail application.
The High Court also asked the police to take custody of Rabbani’s passport that has been deposited with the Sessions Court. Rabbani has also been asked not to make any public speeches till his application is disposed of. Shaikh’s lawyer, Rizwan Merchant, said that they informed the court about the presence of hundreds of CDs that feature speeches against Sufis and dargahs.
“There are statements exhorting people to take up jihad and demolish dargahs,” said Merchant.
Radical Muslim sects consider dargahs as ‘grave worship’ and hence, against Islamic principles. However, Rabbani’s representatives told the court that the speech mentioned by the complainant was recorded in Saudi Arabia several years ago.
Rabbani’s lawyer, Basil Qazi, said that his client has not insulted Sufi saints in his speeches. “He has been falsely implicated. Even the statements made by him in the CDs and at Ghatkopar were said in a particular context. If you listen to the whole speech, you will realise that he has not said anything offensive,” said Qazi.
Picture: Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani’s earlier plea for bail had been rejected by the Sessions Court
The Bombay High Court puts off Maulana Sheikh Rabbani’s anticipatory bail hearing until it has gone through transcripts; tells police not to arrest cleric till next hearing on April 7
The Bombay High Court has asked for the transcripts of two CDs, in which a cleric belonging to the radical Ahle Hadees sect allegedly spews hatred against Dargah-going Muslims, especially followers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Garib Nawaz.
On Thursday, the court heard the anticipatory bail application of the cleric, Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani, whose earlier plea for bail had been rejected by the Sessions Court. Rabbani had approached the courts for bail after a complaint was filed at the Ghatkopar Police Station against him by a local resident, Siraj Ahmed Shaikh, who alleged that he had hurt the sentiments of other Muslims with his offensive comments about the saint.
The comments were made by Rabbani at a meeting on January 28 at Chirag Nagar in Ghatkopar.
The police have registered a case under Sections 295 (A) and 153 (A) of the IPC that relates to incitement of religious hatred. The bail application will be heard again on April 7 and the police have been instructed by the court not to arrest the cleric till it gives its decision on bail. The court wanted to see the transcripts before giving its decision in the bail application.
The High Court also asked the police to take custody of Rabbani’s passport that has been deposited with the Sessions Court. Rabbani has also been asked not to make any public speeches till his application is disposed of. Shaikh’s lawyer, Rizwan Merchant, said that they informed the court about the presence of hundreds of CDs that feature speeches against Sufis and dargahs.
“There are statements exhorting people to take up jihad and demolish dargahs,” said Merchant.
Radical Muslim sects consider dargahs as ‘grave worship’ and hence, against Islamic principles. However, Rabbani’s representatives told the court that the speech mentioned by the complainant was recorded in Saudi Arabia several years ago.
Rabbani’s lawyer, Basil Qazi, said that his client has not insulted Sufi saints in his speeches. “He has been falsely implicated. Even the statements made by him in the CDs and at Ghatkopar were said in a particular context. If you listen to the whole speech, you will realise that he has not said anything offensive,” said Qazi.
Picture: Maulana Sheikh Mehraj Rabbani’s earlier plea for bail had been rejected by the Sessions Court
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