New Delhi: Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, who is in home quarantine, has tested negative for COVID-19 in a test done in a private lab, sources said on Sunday.
The head of the Jamaat's Nizamuddin Markaz was in the centre of controversy over holding the global congregation amid the coronavirus crisis and is being investigated in cases lodged against him under various sections, including by the Enforcement Directorate.
But his lawyer Fuzail Ahmed Ayyubi said that they were cooperating with the police and the investigative agencies have not asked the Maulana to join investigations.
Maulana Saad, in his interview with IANS, had said: "I am not sure whether this can be called a conspiracy. There has been more than one instance in the past where a person has been put to trial and proclaimed guilty by the media, only to be exonerated later by the courts after appreciating the correct and relevant facts."
The Markaz chief said that they believed in the judicial system of the country and the truth shall prevail.
Maulana Saad has asked his followers, who tested positive for coronavirus and have recovered, to donate their plasma for the treatment of other COVID-19 patients.
Meanwhile, with 293 new cases and no deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the total coronavirus cases in the national capital reached 2,918 on Sunday while the toll remained 54.
As many as eight people have been cured of the infection in the last 24 hours, according to the Delhi Health Report.
A total of 877 patients in Delhi have recovered from coronavirus so far.
"As on date, 1,987 cases are active," the report said.
Among the total 2,918 cases, 1,931 patients (or 66 per cent) were less than 50 years of age, while 469 were between 50-59 years and 518 patients were above the age of 60 years, the Health Report said.
In the last 24 hours, no death was reported.
Among the total 54 deaths, over half (29) were of those aged 60 years or above, 15 were aged between 50 to 59 and the rest 10 were below 50 years.
Among the total deaths, 46 people (85 per cent) had other serious diseases as well.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said it has been eight weeks since the outbreak of coronavirus in Delhi, and there were fewer coronavirus cases and fewer fatalities in the city this week as compared to last week.
(IANS)