Tablighi Jamaat congregation case: Delhi HC junks cases against 70 members for housing attendees during Covid-19

The 70 accused named across 16 FIRs were charged under various sections of the IPC. (File photo/PTI)

The Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 cases against 70 Indians who hosted foreign attendees of Tablighi Jamaat congregation in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the detailed verdict is awaited to be made public, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna pronounced in the open court that the proceedings stand quashed.

The court passed the judgment on 16 petitions relating to 70 Indians, who were represented by advocate Ashima Mandla, seeking quashing of FIRs registered against them.

The 70 accused were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, for allegedly housing foreign nationals in different mosques during the pandemic between March 24, 2020, and March 30, 2020. As per the allegations, they housed over 190 foreigners belonging to Tablighi Jamaat during the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic, according to Bar and Bench.

Delhi Police previously opposed the pleas for quashing of FIRs registered for hosting foreign attendees of the congregation of March 2020 and said the accused local residents sheltered the attendees who had come to Nizamuddin Markaz in violation of the prohibitory orders on movement to contain the spread of Covid-19, PTI reported.

With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in India, an international Muslim missionary group, the Tablighi Jamaat, was charged with aggravating the health emergency. Several leaders had accused the group of worsening Covid situation and the government blacklisted over 950 foreign nationals, accusing them of contravening emergency rules by participating in a Jamaat congregation at its markaz (centre) in Delhi.

(With inputs from PTI)