NEW DELHI: The police informed the Delhi High Court on Monday that it has no objection to quashing of the separate FIRs against various foreigners, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event and allegedly indulged in missionary activities in violation of visa norms and breached anti-Covid-19 guidelines.
Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra said that without going into the merits of the cases, he has instructions to say that as these foreigners have already pleaded guilty in the first FIR, they do not want to pursue it further. He said if they are asked to go back to the trial court, it will enhance the burden and the high court can quash the FIRs here only.
However, the judge did say that he was of the opinion that the petitioners should go back to the trial court as the magistrates, by whom the matters were heard, were doing their jobs efficiently and there was no need for the high court to intervene.
According to the separate petitions, the foreigners said they have already admitted their guilt in the FIR and pleaded for lenient punishments. They were allowed to walk free on payment of fines related to the lockdown violations, the counsel for the foreigners said, adding that their deportation orders were also issued. However, they are not able to fly back to their countries due to the pendency of other FIRs lodged at various police stations, the counsel said.