The Uttar Pradesh police have booked eight people, including the 'mutawalli' (caretaker) of the Mustafa Qadri mosque in Sambhal, after finding posters with "I Love Muhammad" written on them, during the demolition of the structure on Saturday.
According to police, the case has been registered under section 353 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the BNS.
The police said that 49 posters and a green flag were found at the mosque, which was demolished for allegedly being "illegally constructed on land designated for a graveyard."
Additional Superintendent of Police (North) Kuldeep Singh said that a green flag, "resembling the Pakistani flag," was found at the mosque.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ziaur Rahman Barq slammed the case and questioned what law was violated by possessing 'I Love Muhammad' posters.
"Posters reading 'I Love Muhammad' and a green flag were found in the Kaserau mosque. I, too, possess such posters and could keep a green flag. What kind of case would they register against me for that?" he asked.
"Under what provisions will a case be registered? If I love my Allah and my Prophet within the fold of my faith, which section of the law applies to that? Please tell me. On what grounds will you register a case? The police administration's responsibility is to ensure a society free from fear, not one filled with fear. What are you trying to say?" he further said.
The MP termed the demolition of the mosque "illegal" and said he would be approaching the court.
He said that the mosque is approximately 150 years old and has been registered as Waqf property in the Uttar Pradesh Gazette since 1995, listed at number 1951.
The district administration, meanwhile, claimed the demolition followed eviction orders passed by revenue courts.
Authorities claimed that the mosque had been constructed on around 1,200 square metres of cemetery land.
District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said the mosque committee's appeal against the tehsildar court's eviction order was rejected after it failed to produce evidence supporting its claim over the land.
SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said the demolition was carried out after the completion of the legal process and under heavy police deployment.
(With inputs from PTI)
