New Delhi: A Delhi court has ticked off the city police for its failure to ascertain the age of an old copy of Quran, seized from a man allegedly trying it to sell it for Rs one crore, and has asked it to determine if the holy scripture is an antique piece as per the relevant laws.
The court pulled up the Crime Branch which had seized the scripture and got it deposited with the National Archives of India (NAI) on court’s order saying it was an antique piece, but later sought its release saying it is not an antique as it is not more than 100 years old.
“The Investigating Officer (IO) seems to have hastily arrived at the conclusion that since the Holy Quran is not more than 100 years old, it is not covered under the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972 and therefore, no offence (is made out),” said Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Manish Yaduvanshi.
Referring to another clause of the Act which says any manuscript or document of scientific, historical, literary or aesthetic value, which has been in existence for not less than 75 years may be an antique, the ACMM added, “There is no reference as to whether this manuscript has been in existence for not less than 75 years.” He said there is no opinion as to “whether the book has been in existence for less than 75 years and if the holy book shall be having literary or aesthetic value.”
The police had sought release of the Quran’s copy on the basis of a report by the Director General of Archives that it is not an antique piece as it might not be older than 100 years. The report had also said the book seems to have golden work, borders and written on Kashmiri paper but is not a manuscript under the Antiquities Act.
The case involving the holy scripture dated back to July 6, 2011 when the Crime Branch of city police got a tip off that an old Delhi resident Azaz Ahmed Shakil would be selling his antique piece of Quran for Rs one crore to a person at Rajghat. Acting on the tip off, the police arrested Shakil from Rajghat and seized the holy scripture.
During interrogation, Shakil had said he was given the book by an acquaintance, now residing abroad, for sale. (PTI)