Delhi court grants bail to 200 Tablighi Jamaat members ahead of visa cancellation hearing

As Delhi police continue to probe into the Nizamuddin Markaz event, Delhi's Saket Court on Wednesday, granted bail to 200 Indonesian nationals who had participated in the event in March, prior to the nationwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown. The court also granted bail to the 2000 persons on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each. The court had previously granted bail to 158 foreigners from Brazil, Australia, Fiji, China, and the Philippines, who had participated in Markaz.

SC to hear on July 24 pleas against blacklisting of foreigners for alleged Tablighi activities

200 Tablighi Jamaatis given bail

Visas of 2679 foreign Tablighis cancelled; Centre files affidavit in Supreme Court

Tablighi Jamaat members blacklisted

In April, the Ministry of Home Affairs had blacklisted 960 foreigners who were involved in Tablighi Jamaat activities despite being on a tourist visa and cancelled their Indian visas. In another subsequent decision on June 4 over 2,500 foreign nationals were blacklisted for 10 years from travelling to India for their alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities. As per the information available, 205 FIRs have been lodged against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members by 11 states, with many under custody.

The Supreme Court has said that it would hear on July 24 the pleas filed by foreigners challenging the Centre's orders that blacklisted more than 2,700 citizens of 35 countries. The Centre had earlier sought dismissal of the pleas, stating that it has issued individual orders on a case-to-case basis for cancellation of visas and blacklisting of 2,765 foreign nationals. The Delhi Crime Branch which has booked the Markaz chief Maulana Saad for violating lockdown, who is still in self-isolation but aiding with the police investigation.

Delhi Court grants bail to 76 foreign Tablighi Jamaat members from 8 countries

What is the Nizamuddin COVID-19 scare?

On March 30, sources reported that a religious programme was organised at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters Markaz Nizamuddin mosque between 13-15 March which had over 3400 attendees from Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan and from several states in India. After attending the meeting, prior to the nationwide lockdown, 1500 of these attendees returned to several parts of the country, possibly spreading the COVID-19 virus. The mosque has claimed that while they were letting small groups of attendees leave from the venue prior to the Janta Curfew, several were stuck in the area owing to the nationwide lockdown. All 2631 occupants were evacuated an treated, with most of them treated and now donating plasma.

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