The foreigners were accused of attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation (Archive)
New Delhi:
A Delhi court acquitted 36 foreigners on Tuesday, who were charged with attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi for allegedly being negligent and disobeying government guidelines issued in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Metropolitan Chief Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg acquitted foreigners from 14 countries of all charges.
On August 24, the court had brought charges against the foreigners under sections 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by the public servant), 269 (negligent act that can spread an infection of a life-threatening disease) of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 (disobey regulation) of the Epidemic Act 1897.
The charges were also framed under section 51 (obstruction) of the Disaster Management Act of 2005.
However, they were released for the crimes provided for in section 14 (1) (b) (violation of visa regulations) of the Aliens Act, sections 270 (Malignant act that can spread the infection of a dangerous disease for the life) and 271 (Disobedience to the quarantine rule). of IPC.
The court had also released eight foreign nationals from six countries from all the charges they were charged with on the charge sheet in the absence of any credible record or material against them.
The foreigners were charged with attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the Nizamuddin area, allegedly in violation of visa regulations, participating in missionary activities illegally, and violating government guidelines issued in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
(With the exception of the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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