Action on case-to-case basis: Centre tells SC

NEWDELHI: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that it has issued individual orders on a case-to-case basis for cancellation of visas and blacklisting of over 2,500 foreign nationals, for their alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.

As per the information available, 205 FIRs have been lodged against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members by 11 states and 2,765 such foreigners have been blacklisted so far, while visas of 2,679 foreigners (including 9 Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders) have been cancelled, it said.

The top court was also informed by the Centre that 1,906 Look Out Circulars were issued against foreign Tablighi Jamaat members. The foreign nationals told the court that around 1,500 one-liner e-mails were sent to them with regard to cancellation of visas but there was no show cause notice for blacklisting for 10 years.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna posted the matter for further hearing on July 10 and asked the petitioners to file a rejoinder affidavit to the Centre’s reply and make representation with the competent authority with regard to deportation.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said it has filed an affidavit stating that individual orders were passed with regard to the cancellation of visas and blacklisting of individuals on case-tocase basis.

The bench asked the Centre to file the orders passed with regard to visa cancellation and circulate it among petitioners’ lawyers.