Epicentre of Coronavirus in India: Tablighi Jamaat members let off with fine, now leave country

A Delhi court Tuesday allowed 121 people from Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia to walk free on payment of different fines, after they accepted mild charges under the plea bargain process related to various violations including visa norms while attending Tablighi Jamaat event here during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Metropolitan Magistrate Rajat Goyal allowed 98 Indonesians to walk free on payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each, said advocate Ashima Mandla appearing for them.

Metropolitan Magistrate Rohit Gullia allowed 23 foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan to walk free on payment of a fine of Rs 5,000 each.

The court directed them to deposit the fine to PM CARES Fund.

The foreigners were charge-sheeted for attending the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz event in the national capital by allegedly violating visa conditions, indulging in missionary activities illegally and violating government guidelines, issued in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Granted permission by the ministry of external affairs to return to their countries, 21 Tablighis boarded the flight for Indonesia from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

Earlier this month, various courts had disposed of their cases and asked the police officials to return their passports so that they can return back to their respective countries.

Not to forget, the Tablighi Jamaat was the reason why COVID-19 spread across India as prior to the event in the national capital, there were barely any cases in the country. The Jamaatis not only illegally conducted the event, but even fled to different parts of the country in order to hide themselves and thousands of them were caught from mosques and neighbouring areas.

Several of them were also accused of trying to spread the virus, attacking medical workers and caught on camera for spitting on peple as they were being taken to hospitals via public busses.