Tablighi Jamaat members can leave upon tendering apology, Centre tells Supreme Court

The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that foreign members of Tablighi Jamaat could be allowed to leave the country, despite pendency of criminal proceedings here, if they tendered an apology for attending Nizamuddin Markaz here in March during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before a bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar that the look out notices issued against the petitioners, who approached the top court, stood withdrawn.

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He said the petitioners will be free to leave India subject to any other pending proceedings, including order passed by the court requiring his or her presence in the stated proceedings.

Mehta also pointed out ten petitioners have decided to contest the criminal cases pending against them and were not willing to exercise the option of plea bargaining.

Taking submission of Mehta into record, the bench directed for transferring criminal cases pending against 10 Tablighi Jamaat members before different trial courts in the national capital to the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, South-East Delhi, Saket for expeditious disposal within a period of eight weeks.

The court posted a batch of petitions filed by Maulana Ala Hadrami and others, including a pregnant woman, for consideration after eight weeks. The petitioners questioned validity of Ministry of Home Affairs' orders issued on April 2 and June 4, blacklisting 2500 people for 10 years from travelling to the country.

Visas of 2,679 foreigners from 35 countries were cancelled for participating in Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in March and having endangered many lives in the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency. As many as 205 FIRs were lodged against them in 11 States under the provisions of the Foreigners Act, National Disaster Management Act, Epedmic Diseases Act and the IPC.