New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the accused detained Tablighi Jamaat members, wishing to return to their countries, to submit their details to Centre.
Advocates appearing for the foreigners, detained for violating lockdown guidelines, contended before the court that many of them opted for plea bargaining and yet have not been able to leave India.
The bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar was also informed by the advocates that the passports of the foreigners were also not returned to them yet.
These foreign nationals presently in India were blacklisted for a period of 10 years from travelling to India for their alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.
The Home Ministry had said that foreign Tablighi Jamaat members, who were staying in India in violation of visa rules during the nationwide lockdown implemented to combat the COVID-19 spread, have been blacklisted.
A large congregation organised by Tablighi Jamaat in the national capital in March had emerged as a major COVID-19 hotspot in the country.
The government had said the decision of banning the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members was taken after details of foreigners found illegally living in mosques and religious places emerged from various states across the country.
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