NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to 85 Tablighi Jamaat members from Kyrgyzstan, who were chargesheeted for allegedly violating visa norms and government guidelines issued in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak.
So far, 532 foreigners from 34 countries, who were chargesheeted for attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nazimuddin, have been granted bail by the court. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted the relief on furnishing personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.
The police had in June filed 59 charge sheets, including supplementary chargesheet, against 956 foreigners belonging to 36 different countries in the case.
According to the accuseds’ advocates, those who were granted bail on Monday will file their plea bargaining applications on Tuesday.
Under plea bargaining, the accused plead guilty to the offence, praying for a lesser punishment.
The CrPC allows for plea bargaining in cases where the maximum punishment is 7-year imprisonment; offences don’t affect the socio-economic conditions of society and the offence is not committed against a woman or a child below 14 years.
During the hearing, the foreign Tablighis were produced before the court through video conferencing.
The investigating officer had earlier told the court that the investigation was complete against the 956 foreigners in the case and each has been allegedly found to have independently committed the offence for which he/ she has been chargesheeted.
According to the charge sheets, all the foreigners have been booked for violation of visa rules, guidelines issued in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.The Tablighis have also been charged for the offences under sections 188, 269, 270 and 271 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.
SC to hear pleas against blacklisting of foreigners
The Supreme Court Monday said it would hear on July 24 the pleas filed by foreigners challenging the Centre’s orders that blacklisted more than 2,700 citizens of 35 countries from travelling to India
for 10 years for alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that the matter be adjourned for a week as pending cases against the concerned members of Tablighi Jamaat are likely to be disposed of in due course.