HC adjourns hearing in petition challenging NBW against Naik

ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a petition till March 28, 2018, filed by Muslim religious leader Zakir Naik challenging the order dated April 30, 2010, and the subsequent nonbailable warrant against him.

Hearing a petition filed by Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, who is the president of Islamic Research Foundation, justice Amar Singh Chauhan fixed March 28 as the next date of hearing after a joint request was made on behalf of both the petitioner and the complainant.

One Mudassir Ullah Khan had filed a complaint on January 9, 2008 before the chief judicial magistrate X, Jhansi, alleging that in a television programme telecast on January 21, 2006, Naik had allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community.

He alleged in his complaint that the applicant had published and distributed a pamphlet to incite hatred and ill-will among different communities.

The judicial magistrate, on April 30, 2010, summoned Naik before the court under Section 121 (waging war against the state) and other sections of Indian Penal Code.

Naik’s counsel said the applicant was the president of an organisation that clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islam and the allegations against him were baseless.

Earlier on June 6, 2011, the high court had directed that till the next date of listing no coercive action should be taken against the applicant pursuant to the order dated April 30, 2010 passed by the judicial magistrate.

On the subsequent dates, the court continuously extended the interim order.

Section 121 of the IPC states that whoever wages war against the government of India or attempts to wage such war, or abets it, shall be punished with death, or imprisonment of life.