Markaz case: Chargesheet filed against 46 foreigners

The crime branch of Delhi Police on Friday filed 12 charge sheets, including supplementary charge sheets, against 46 foreign nationals from 12 countries for attending the Markaz at Nizamuddin in the national capital by violating visa conditions, indulging in missionary activities illegally, and violating government guidelines issued in wake of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

The police filed one main charge sheet and 11 supplementary charge sheets before chief metropolitan magistrate Gurmohina Kaur. With these, the police has filed 59 charge sheets till date against 956 foreign nationals belonging to 36 different countries. The punishment for various offences under penal provisions ranges from six months to eight years of imprisonment.

According to the charge sheets, all the foreign nationals have been booked for violating visa rules and for violating government guidelines issued in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act, and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

They have also been booked for the offences under Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.

In April, Covid-19 cases across the country spiked after hundreds of Tablighi Jamaat members, who had attended the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz event, tested positive.

At least 9,000 people, including the foreign nationals, participated in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin.