Delhi HC seeks response from AAP govt, Delhi Police on a petition seeking speedy trial of Markaz matter
Jun 17, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 17 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response from Delhi government and Delhi Police on a petition seeking designated court for speedy trial in a case registered against 125 Malaysians nationals who were recently charge-sheeted in relation to Nizamuddin Markaz matter.
Justice Anup J Bhambhani asked the Delhi government and Delhi Police, represented by standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain in a hearing held through video conferencing, to file a status report on the petition while slated the matter for July 1 for further hearing.
The petition moved by 125 Malaysian seeking directions from Court to establish/earmark one designated Court that could try and adjudicate upon charge sheet filed pursuant to FIR by Crime Branch, Delhi against the Malaysian nationals in an expeditious manner by treating the same as "urgent".
The plea stated that Malaysian Citizens who are currently in the care and custody of the High Commission of Malaysia, New Delhi and who are being proceeded against by Delhi Police alleging infractions inter-alia under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Indian Penal Code, 1860. The plea, filed by advocate S Hari Haran, said the charge sheets were filed in the competent court and they are listed for further action on June 17 and June 25.
It stated that the petitioner and the other Malaysian Citizens arrived in India during the times when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and the Government of India and the Delhi government announced a lockdown restraining the movement and assembling of people. While the Malaysian Citizens were trying to arrange a place to stay or were making arrangements to go back to their country, they came to be taken into custody and were sent to correctional Quarantine Centers.
According to the petition, till date 47 charge sheets have been filed against 915 foreign nationals, belonging to 34 different countries, in the case. According to the charge sheets, all the foreign nationals have been booked for violating visa rules, violating government guidelines issued in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.
