Tablighi Jamaat: Will not arrest 84 foreigners if they cooperate in probe, Delhi Police tells court
Jul 29, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 29 : The Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that it will not arrest 84 foreign Tablighi Jamaat members if they cooperate in the probe in connection with a congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz here.
Police told a single-judge bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani that it will send its personnel to West Bengal for conducting probe as the foreign nationals were not in the position to travel to Delhi due to lockdown in Kolkata city.
Advocate Rahul Mehra on instructions from the Investigating Officer, Inspector Satish Kumar submitted that the city police will send its officers to Kolkata for purposes of investigation and confirmed that the police will not require custodial interrogation; and accordingly, the petitioners will not be arrested, provided they cooperate in the investigation.
Accordingly, the court directed that the investigation be carried-on against the petitioners in Kolkata, in accordance with the law, and listed the matter for August 24, for further hearing asking the Delhi Police and Delhi Government to update as regards the investigation and proceedings, on the next date.
The high court was hearing four petitions filed by the 84 foreign nationals, who have sought quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against them by the Delhi Police under various provisions of the Foreigners Act, Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act, and Indian Penal Code.
They have also sought quashing of the Look-Out Circulars (LoCs) against them opened by Bureau of Immigration and quashing of notices issued by Special Investigation Team, Crime Branch, Delhi Police.
Three petitions were heard yesterday while the fourth one was heard today.
