MP books foreign Tablighis under stringent laws

Police have registered a case against 64 foreigners, including some COVID-19 patients, and 10 others from different states, all of whom were found hiding in Bhopal after attending Delhi's Tablighi Jamaat event held last month.

Bhopal:Madhya Pradesh police have booked 64 foreigners, some under treatment for coronavirus and 10 others, who had stayed in the state concealing their arrival since participating in last month's Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

The congregation at Jamaat in Delhi became a key source for the spread of the virus in the country. The development came after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked Tablighi attendees to show up in 24 hours or face criminal charges.

"We have also registered FIR against people of 13 localities that sheltered them in different mosques and thus abated spread of life-threatening disease. They stayed in different city mosques and concealed information about participation in Tablighi Jamaat," additional superintendent of police (ASP) Rajat Saklecha said.

"Police have registered FIRs against them in five separate police stations as they were scattered in different parts," he said.

Foreigners hailing from Myanmar, Indonesia, France, Belgium and Kyrgyzstan have been booked under Foreigners Act for violating visa norms. They have also been charged under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), said Saklecha.

Eight foreign members of Jamaat and some others tested positive, were being treated in different hospitals. The rest have been quarantined and their samples had been sent for test, he added.

According to reports, the foreigners will be fined and deported after their condition is stable. Besides, the central government is going to blacklist them and ban their entry in India for good.

Indian government had categorically mentioned in conditions for visa that Tablighi Jamaat members from foreign countries should come on missionary visa. They are forbidden to propagate their religion on tourist visas. This is an old rule, Saklecha added.

All of these have been accused under sections 188 (disobeying order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread disease dangerous to the life of people) and 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code and National Calamity Management Act.

IANS Report