The Delhi High Court on Monday, 29th June 2020 has asked the union government, the government of Delhi and Delhi Police to reply to a plea by several foreign nationals who attended the religious meeting at Nizamuddin Markaz as Tablighi Jamaat during the lockdown imposed by the Indian government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plea seeks permission to add three more places of alternate accommodation for them.
These people have been detained in the quarantine facilities despite testing negative for the virus since March 2020. The bench comprising of Justice Sanghi and Justice Bhatnagar has issued a notice to these authorities and asked them to take instructions on the matter. The matter which was heard on the video-conferencing platform has been postponed to a later date for further hearing.
On 28th May 2020 the court directed that 955 foreign nationals who had participated in the religious congregation be shifted to alternate accommodations in light of the ongoing criminal proceedings. The plea seeks modification in the order to include 3 more places of accommodation. Currently, the number of these accommodations is 9. The court also instructed that the financial expenses for this accommodation will be the responsibility of Tablighi Jamaat itself
The plea filed by Advocates Mandakini Singh and Ashima Mandla said that during 65 of these nationals have faced discomfort with regards to the arrangements there. Due to this discomfort, the community is now praying for permission to move to a different location, namely Texan Public School in Moujpur. These people have been warned against moving to a new location without permission from the Delhi Police.
Currently, the members of the Jamaat were brought out of detention and kept in accommodations in light of the criminal proceedings against them. The Delhi Police informed that a total of 47 charge sheets have been filed against these people who belong to more than 35 countries.
Most of these people have been accommodated within different school buildings throughout Delhi with the exception of Malaysian nationals who have been shifted to a hotel. The Jamaat members were arrested by the authorities and sent to quarantine centers. Some however were detained before being sent to these centers.
