Delhi High Court seeks government response to foreign Tablighis plea on alternative accommodation

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre, Delhi government and police to reply to a plea by several foreign nationals connected to Tablighi Jamaat, who participated in the congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz during the corona induced lockdown, seeking permission to add three more places of alternate accommodation for them.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar issued notices to the Centre and Delhi government and Delhi Police and asked them to take instructions on the matter.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on Tuesday. The application sought modification in the court’s May 28 order by seeking to include three more places of accommodation for the foreign nationals in light of ongoing criminal proceedings.

On May 28, the HC had directed that 955 foreign nationals, who had participated in the Markaz, be shifted from institutional quarantine centres, where they were kept since March 30 despite testing negative for Covid, to nine alternate accommodations. The plea, filed through advocates Mandakini Singh and Ashima Mandla, said that during the course of the month, 65 foreign nationals housed at Meeraj International School have faced discomfort with regard to the arrangements there.

It said that the community is seeking permission to shift these foreign nationals from Meeraj International School to Texan Public School in Moujpur, a new accommodation suggested by them.

“Apart from Texan Public School, the community has identified an additional two alternate places of accommodation... to house any of the 955 foreign nationals. The community once again undertakes to bear all costs for shifting and further duly notify the Respondent No.4 (Delhi Police) of the whereabouts of the foreign nationals,’ it said.     

(With PTI inputs)