New Delhi: Delhi Minorities Commission chairman Zafarul Islam Khan has been slapped with sedition charges for allegedly making "provocative" remarks on social media.
Hindustan Times quoted Delhi police Joint commissioner (special cell) Neeraj Thakur as saying that a first information report (FIR) has been registered against Khan under Indian Penal Code sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony).
Khan, did not comment on the development. "I have not seen the FIR. I will comment only when I see it or know about it," he was quoted as saying.
On Thursday, Khan had issued an apology through his social media accounts, saying that his tweet was ill-timed and insensitive and that it had "pained some people" but it was never his intention.
The report stated that the FIR was filed on the complaint of a Vasant Kunj resident. The complaint reached the Lodhi Colony office of the anti-terror squad, special cell, through the assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Safdarjung Enclave.
Khan came under attack over his post on alleged "persecution" of Muslims in the country.
He tweeted it on Tuesday. "I realise that my tweet was ill-timed and insensitive in view of our county facing a medical emergency and fighting an unseen enemy. I apologise to all whose sentiments were hurt," Khan said in a statement.
He said that his tweet on April 28 wherein he thanked Kuwait for taking note of the "persecution" of Indian Muslims in the context of the northeast Delhi violence has "pained" some people and it was never his intention.
Khan also accused a section of media of "distorting and fabricating" the content of his tweet. A legal notice has been sent to a news channel in this regard, he said.
Citing the tweet and a Facebook post by Khan, the BJP has demanded his removal from the post of Delhi Minorities Commission chairman. A delegation of Delhi BJP MLAs met Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday and also demanded registration of a case against him.
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