The Supreme Court on Monday granted permission to Islamic scholar Maulana Kalim Siddiqui to attend the final rites of his brother in Muzaffarnagar, UP.
A Bench headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose stated that Siddiqui would be permitted to participate in his brother’s last rites and thereafter return to his current residence in Delhi.
The Bench stated, “We also make it clear that Siddiqui shall not participate in any political or social activities, apart from the last rites associated with the cremation, while he is in UP and shall not give any speech.”
Siddiqui filed an urgent application in the apex court seeking permission to attend his brother’s last rites, scheduled to take place on Monday. The top court stated, “Considering that he wants to get the interim stay order vacated for entry in UP and keeping in mind that he shall be allowed to go to his ancestral village, which we have been informed during the hearing on May 9.”
The Uttar Pradesh government has challenged the Allahabad High Court order granting bail to Siddiqui in April this year in the case filed under various sections and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in connection with alleged offenses.
The Allahabad High Court had said on May 9, while hearing the case, that Siddiqui would not leave the National Capital Region (NCR) other than to participate in the proceedings or to meet the investigating officer during the period of bail.
The High Court granted bail to Siddiqui, noting that while one co-accused was granted bail by the Supreme Court, the other was granted relief by the High Court’s Co-ordination Bench.
Islamic scholar and President of Jamia Imam Waliullah Trust, Siddiqui, has been accused of operating a large-scale religious conversion racket through various organizations and schools funded by him, and receiving funds from international organizations.
He was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in September 2021. He is also accused of fueling enmity among various religious groups.