New Delhi: A court in [eastern state] Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district has ordered the release of 11 foreigners associated with Islamic organisation Tablighi Jamaat. The court ordered their release as the police failed to evidence to substantiate charges labeled against the accused, reported Roznama Rashtriya Sahara and other Urdu newspapers on Sunday.
They were arrested on 24 March 2020 on charges of violating visa norms and guidelines issued to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The foreigners were quarantined for initial days and sent to a jail on 7 April. However, the court dismissed the case against them due to lack of evidence.
The Tablighi Jamaat was targeted in April by right wing forces including BJP ministers and Godi media channels. However, scores of courts across India have revoked charges labelled against members of the group. In a landmark judgment, the Bombay High Court had observed that Tablighi foreigners were made scapegoats.
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Anil Chaudhary has demanded that Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should apologise because they allegedly spread hatred in connection with Tablighi Jamaat. Moreover, the Congress party also staged a protest over the same in New Delhi on 24 December, reported Inquilab, an Urdu newspaper.