23 Tablighi Jamaat members free to return home: Centre to SC

After 34 Tablighi Jamaat members challenged their blacklisting and cancelling of visas before the Supreme Court, Central government informed the court that 23 of them have been given permission to go home.

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that 23 Tablighi Jamaat members, who had challenged their blacklisting and cancellation of visas before the apex court, have been granted permission to go home. The members have been charged with Rs 5,000 penalty and have been given permission to go back to their respective home countries.

Thirty-four foreigners belonging to 15 countries had earlier approached the top court claiming that no individual orders were issued to them. These petitioners went for plea bargaining accepting mild charges and were not willing to face trials.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta added that 9 of the total petitioners are willing to face the trial and those trials are pending before various courts.

The bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar asked SG to see what can be done for expeditious completion of trials and also to look into the issues faced by the petitioners who have accepted the plea bargain. As per the advocate representing them, 22 petitioners are having issues in getting their passports back.

READ: Delhi HC adjourns hearing on plea to transfer case against Tablighi Jamaat Chief to NIA

The court adjourned the matter for 31st July till when the SG will come with his reply on the matter.

Delhi court Friday had allowed 53 people from Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan and South Africa to walk free on payment of fines after they accepted mild charges under the plea bargain process, related to various violations including visa norms while attending the Tablighi Jamaat event here during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The court was hearing a plea by foreign nationals who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin, Delhi, violating the COVID 19 lockdown guidelines. They were blacklisted and their visas were cancelled in response, challenging which they had moved to the top court.

Till date, 908 foreigners have been allowed to walk free on payment of varying fines after they accepted mild charges under plea bargain process and 46 foreign nationals have claimed trial before the court.

With PTI inputs