Bengaluru: Last month, we reported to you about a Muslim baba in Madhya Pradesh who took his devotees for a ride as he lied to them that he could cure them of coronavirus with the help of a kiss. 

Also Read: Aslam Baba, who promised to cure coronavirus with a kiss, dies!

Now, another Muslim baba and his associate have been arrested. They are Mohammed Ismail, a 50-year-old godman and his associate for cheating people. The Cyberabad police arrested them on Saturday, charging them with cheating and relevant sections of the Epidemic Act.

A popular website adds that he was famous for curing seasonal fevers using his special prayers and was active for the last four years. When Covid-19 pandemic started to spread its roots in the country, the website adds, he started claiming to provide treatment for the same. He also made his preaching available on WhatsApp groups.

The website adds that, he used to charge anywhere between Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 for the ‘treatment’. Recently, he took Rs 40,000 from a patient on the premise that he would cure him of coronavirus. 

A note on how media tried to give a Hindu spin 

Though religion should not be a basis for the crime committed, it has been alleged that the main stream media has given it a Hindu spin by calling him baba, at a time when the words  maulvi or fakir would have apt and better. 
Even in the case of the earlier story in which the Muslim Baba would resort to a kiss to cure people of coronavirus, it had been alleged that the media tried to portray him as a Hindu, trying to hide his religion. 

From the usage of the words baba to tantrik it has been alleged that there is a wanton effort to spoil the name of Hindus.

Crime is a crime.  Whether Hindu or Muslim or any other religion, it should be viewed with non-partisanship. Attributing religion to crime or vice-versa defeats the very purpose of justice and fairness.