Mosque Committee Chairman Booked For Allegedly Threatening Lawyer In UP: Police

The Agra police have booked the chairman of Shahi Jama Masjid's management committee here over a purported audio clip in which he allegedly threatens a lawyer who claimed that expensive idols taken from a temple were buried under the mosque premises.

 Mathura-based lawyer Mahendra Pratap Singh had recently sent notices to the Archaeological Survey of India and the Centre claiming that the idols of Keshav Dev temple in his district were buried under the staircase of Sahiba Begum Masjid in Agra's Shahi Jama Masjid complex by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he allegedly destroyed the temple in 1670 and sought their recovery.

 Agra Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said, "A case has been registered against the chairman of the Intezamia Committee at Sahi Jama Masjid Jahid alias Pappu at Mantola police station for giving a provoking statement and making it viral on the internet." He said Jahid has been booked under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

"Police are gathering evidence and strict action will be taken in this regard. We will not allow anybody to make provocative statements and post them on social media," he added. According to the FIR, Jahid had on Friday made a speech at the Shai Jama Masjid premises during which he allegedly threatened lawyer Singh and the petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi case in Mathura. He had also allegedly made the audio clip viral on social media.

 However, on Saturday, Jahid released a video statement saying he did not make a comment against the government or the country, but it was against individual people who are trying to "provoke" Muslims for their vested interests.

He claimed that Muslims are being provoked unnecessarily and that the community is united against such acts.