Muslim cleric, 27 others booked for defying COVID-19 lockdown

Bhopal: An offence was registered against a Muslim cleric and 27 others, for allegedly defying the COVID-19 lockdown, by offering prayers at a mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal city, police said on Friday.

The Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised a prayer at 8 pm on Thursday, defying section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the nationwide lockdown, which is put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.

An FIR was registered against the Imam and 27 others under sections 188 (disobeying a government order), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Talaiya police spokesman Babu Singh said.