82 foreigners chargesheeted for attending Markaz event

The Delhi Police on Tuesday submitted a status report and chargesheet before a city court about the investigation it has conducted so far into the event organised by the Tablighi Jamaat at its markaz (centre) in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area in March.

In its chargsheet, the Delhi Police stated that 82 foreign nationals from 20 countries, who had attended Markaz at Nizamuddin had violated visa conditions by indulging in missionary activities illegally and violating Government guidelines, issued in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Police said that the passports and the copies of the visa application forms of these foreign participants at the congregation show they had obtained tourist visas or e-visas to come to India. The police have filed 20 chargesheets against the foreigners belonging to 20 different countries and Metropolitan Magistrate Saema Jamil has put up the matter for consideration of the charge sheet on June 12.

According to the chargesheet, four of the accused were from Afghanistan, seven each from Brazil and China, five from US,  two from Australia, Kajahstan, Morocco, UK, one each from Ukraine, Egypt, Russia, Jordan, France, Tunisia, Belgium, eight from Algeria, 10 from Saudi Arabia, 14 from Fiji and six each from Sudan and Philippines.

Police said that the foreign nationals violated government guidelines issued in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

After being exposed to a large gathering in March amid the Covid-19 or coronavirus lockdown many members of Tablighi Jamaat from Markaz Hazrat Nizamuddin were taken out by the authorities and lodged in different quarantine centres in Delhi. Some of them were sent to the centres a few days later after being detained from various mosques.

The other members were directly taken to quarantine centres to contain the spread of Covid-19. At least 9,000 people, including the foreign nationals participated in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin. Later, many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.

According to police, these foreign nationals had entered India on tourist visa and had participated in the gathering at Markaz illegally.

Besides, violating the provisions of visa, these foreign nationals also led to a situation where a highly infectious disease Covid-19 infection spread and threatened the lives of the inmates and the general public at large.

The police also said that more than 900 foreign nationals who are accused in the case belong to 34 different countries and charge sheets are being prepared country-wise, under sections of  Foreigners Act, The Epidemic Diseases Act,  Disaster Management Act and section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code.

The punishment for various offences under penal provisions ranges from six months to eight years of imprisonment.

On March 31, Delhi Police's Crime Branch lodged an FIR against seven people, including Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, on a complaint by Station House Officer Nizamuddin for holding a religious congregation here allegedly in violation of the lockdown orders and not maintaining social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"After several attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat event succumbed to coronavirus, police added section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the FIR against the leader," said a police official.