nThe Delhi Police on Wednesday filed 15 fresh chargesheets against 294 foreigners for attending a religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz in a Delhi local court following a violation of visa conditions and indulging in missionary activities amidst the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
According to police, on Wednesday they have filed 15 charge sheets against the foreigners belonging to 14 different countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and several African nations and Metropolitan Magistrate Saema Jamil has put up the matter for further hearing on June 17.
Earlier on Tuesday, the police had filed 20 chargesheet against 85 foreigners from 20 countries in the case.
"The foreign nationals have been booked for violating visa rules, violating government guidelines issued in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure," police said in its chargsheet.
"They have also been booked for the offences under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code," police stated in its chargesheet.
According to the charge sheet, four of the accused were from Afghanistan, seven each from Brazil and China, five from US, two from Australia, Kajahstan, Morocco, UK, one each from Ukraine, Egypt, Russia, Jordan, France, Tunisia, Belgium, eight from Algeria, 10 from Saudi Arabia, 14 from Fiji and six each from Sudan and Philippines.
Police said that the foreign nationals violated government guidelines issued in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.
After being exposed to a large gathering in March amid the COVID-19 or coronavirus lockdown many members of Tablighi Jamaat from Markaz Hazrat Nizamuddin were taken out by the authorities and lodged in different quarantine centres in Delhi. Some of them were sent to the centres a few days later after being detained from various mosques.
The other members were directly taken to quarantine centres to contain the spread of COVID-19. At least 9,000 people, including the foreign nationals participated in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin. Later, many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.
According to police, these foreign nationals had entered India on tourist visa and had participated in the gathering at Markaz illegally.
Besides, violating the provisions of visa, these foreign nationals also led to a situation where a highly infectious disease Covid-19 infection spread and threatened the lives of the inmates and the general public at large.
The police also said that more than 900 foreign nationals who are accused in the case belong to 34 different countries and charge sheets are being prepared country-wise, under sections of Foreigners Act, The Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code.
The punishment for various offences under penal provisions ranges from six months to eight years of imprisonment.
On March 31, Delhi Police's Crime Branch lodged an FIR against seven people, including Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, on a complaint by Station House Officer Nizamuddin for holding a religious congregation here allegedly in violation of the lockdown orders and not maintaining social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus.
