Thane: The crime branch of the Thane police arrested Thursday 25 persons including 21 foreign nationals. They had allegedly attended a gathering of the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi in March. They were arrested after their quarantine period was over. A court later granted them bail, an official said.
The congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area turned out to be a major coronavirus hotspot. After it was busted police in every state began to track down those who had attended it.
Senior inspector Nitin Thakre said those arrested included 13 Bangladeshis and eight Malaysian nationals. The four others persons are local residents of this city.
The foreign nationals violated the rules under their tourist visas and attended the Tablighi meet and later returned here, said Thakre. They were staying in different madrasas here. They were detained April 1 and quarantined at a shelter at Shil Daighar.
The arrested have been accused of living together in violation of the provisions of the Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Act. They have also been accused of not following social distancing. Four local persons who gave the Tablighi Jamaat returnees were also booked, said the police official.
After arrest, they were produced before a local court which granted them bail. However, the foreigners were asked not to leave India.
Agencies
