AURANGABAD: The city police have booked the organisers of a musical event, held on Saturday night, where currency notes were showered on Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel.
The videos of the event, showing a group of youths showering currency notes on Jaleel, made to social media on Sunday causing a political furor. Office- bearers from different political parties demanded action against the MP and the event organisers for violating Covid-19 norms pertaining to wearing of masks and maintaining physical distance. Moreover, the event was held during the weekend lockdown.
So far, those who have been named as accused include teacher Sohel Zakiuddin, office-bearers Sameer Sajid, builder Naser Siddiqui, and farmhouse owner Rafiq Khan.
Police inspector Rajshri Adhe told TOI: “Soon after learning about the event, we booked the suspects, including the owner of the farmhouse where the event was held, under IPC sections 188, 269, 270 and sections of the Disaster Management Act.”
The officer said that on Monday evening, the police and district administration sealed Amber farmhouse and a letter has also been sent to the administration asking to impose a fine on the farmhouse owner for violating lockdown norms.
“Depending on the statements being recorded and the videos we are getting from social media, all the others who attended the event will be identified and named as suspects in the case,” Adhe said.
When contacted, MP Jaleel said this was a case of “selective outrage.”
“It was an in-house qawwali event to collect donations to help families of people who succumbed to Covid-19. While I was on the stage, some overzealous youths came and started showering currency notes on me. All the collection, including the notes showered, have been given out in donation,” he said.
Jaleel questioned as to why no offence has been registered against the Shiv Sena functionaries who had organised a live concert at Gulmandi, and NCP workers who held a party at a farmhouse in the recent past.
