National Desk: A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to all foreign nationals from eight countries. A total of 76 foreign nationals were granted bail. They came to participate in the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz in March.
The bail was granted by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur of Saket Court on the personal bond of ₹ 10,000 each. However, the court has also allowed them to file the plea bargaining application by Friday. During the hearing, all the accused were produced before the court through video conferencing.
Earlier this week, the same court granted bail to Australian, Brazilian, Chinese, Fijian, Malaysian, and Philippian nationals who were part of the congregation.
The court had granted bail to 122 Malaysians on Tuesday and 91 other foreigners from 21 countries on Wednesday. Till Thursday, 289 foreign nationals from 30 different countries were granted bail by the court.
In June, police filed 59 charge sheets which included supplementaries against 956 foreigners who belonged to 36 different countries. They have also been booked for the offenses 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 and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.
The foreigners have not yet been arrested and are residing at various places approved by Delhi High Court. however, the Centre has blacklisted them and also canceled their visas.
All these foreigners had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in March. Following which in April the COVID-19 cases all across India spiked after hundreds of Tablighi Jamaat members who took part in the congregation were tested positive. It was estimated that at least 9,000 people, including foreign nationals, participated in the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz.
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