Delhi High Court exonerates 70 Indians accused of housing Tablighi Jamaat attendees during COVID

The Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 cases registered against 70 Indian nationals for allegedly sheltering foreigners who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat congregation during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna passed the order.

"Chargesheets quashed," the Court said.

A detailed order is awaited.

A total of 16 FIRs naming 70 Indians as accused were challenged before the Court. As per the allegations, they housed over 190 foreigners belonging to Tablighi Jamaat during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The accused were booked under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act and the Foreigners Act.

The Delhi Police argued that the accused violated the nationwide lockdown and other prohibitory orders by housing foreign nationals.

Advocates Ashima Mandla and Mandakini Singh appeared for the petitioners in the case.

Delhi Police was represented through Additional Standing Counsel (ASC) Amol Sinha as well as advocates Kshitiz Garg, Nitish Dhawan, Rahul Kochar, Chavi Lazarus and Sanskriti Nimbekar.