The Delhi police on Monday questioned Mahender Singh Manral, a Delhi-based reporter with The Indian Express newspaper, for a recent report on the alleged doctoring of an audio clip attributed to Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad.
Mr. Manral was summoned for questioning on Sunday — the same day the newspaper carried a statement issued by the police denying the contents of the The Indian Express ’ report relating to the clip. He was asked to join the police investigation on Monday or face legal action under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code. The notice was sent by Inspector Satish Kumar, who is investigating the Tablighi Jamaat case, called upon Mr. Manral to “appear before him [the Inspector] on Monday” and produce “all relevant documents/material required for the purpose of the investigation” and to “disclose all the facts” relevant to the investigation, the The Indian Express said in a front page report.
The notice warned of legal action under Section 174, which carries a prison term and a fine, in case of failure to attend or comply with its terms.
