Madhya Pradesh Police Book 64 Foreign Tablighi Jamaat Attendees Under Stringent Laws

Madhya Pradesh police have booked 64 foreigners, some under treatment for coronavirus and 10 others, who had stayed in the state concealing their arrival since participating in last month's Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

The congregation at Jamaat in Delhi became a key source for the spread of the virus in the country. The action against them has come after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked Tabligh attendees to show up in 24 hours or face criminal charges.

"We have also registered FIR against people of 13 localities that sheltered them in different mosques and thus abated spread of life-threatening disease. They stayed in different city mosques and concealed information about participation in Tablighi Jamaat," additional superintendent of police (ASP) Rajat Saklecha said.

"Police have registered FIRs against them in 5 separate police stations as they were scattered in different parts," he said.

Foreigners hailing from Myanmar, Indonesia, France, Belgium and Kyrgyzstan have been booked under Foreigners Act for violating visa norms. They have also been charged under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), said Saklecha.

Eight foreign members of Jamaat and some others tested positive and were being treated in different hospitals. The rest have been quarantined and their samples had been sent for test, he added.

The foreigners will be fined and deported after they get well. Besides, the central government is going to blacklist them and ban their entry in India for good.

Indian government had categorically mentioned in conditions for visa that Tablighi Jamaat members from foreign countries should come on missionary visa. They are forbidden to propagate their religion on tourist visas. This is an old rule, Saklecha added.

All of these have been accused under sections 188 (disobeying order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread disease dangerous to the life of people) and 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code and National Calamity Management Act.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)