Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court had on August 21 quashed FIRs against them and asked the police to return their passports.
Clarion India
MUMBAI — In response to a show cause notice issued by a local court for nor returning passports even after orders from the Bombay High Court, Ahmednagar Police has returned the impounded passports of 29 foreign nationals who were part of the Tablighi Jamaat.
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court had on August 21 quashed FIRs against the 29 foreign nationals and asked the police to return their passports.
The Aurangabad bench, while striking down the criminal cases against the 29 foreign Tablighi Jamaat members, had observed that they were virtually persecuted and the action against them was taken because of malice against a particular religion.
The court also observed that there were no violations found and that they were made “scapegoats” with the police filing cases without any prima facie evidence.
On August 28, the 29 men had approached three police stations in three talukas of Ahmednagar district for the return of their passports and visa documents.
“Two of the three police stations refused to return the passports while one of them returned the passports on August 28 but sought them back again the next day,” said lawyer Mazhar Jahagirder, who represented the 29 men in court, according the Indian Express report.
The 29 foreign nationals of Tablighi Jamaat coming from countries including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Tanzania, Iran, Djibouti and Brunei then approached a local court stating that no reason was given to them for not returning the passports and that it amounted to contempt of the Aurangabad bench’s order.
The court in Ahmednagar had served a showcause notice to the police earlier this week for refusing to return the passports despite a Bombay High Court order.
Late on Thursday, officials from the police stations called the Tablighi Members and asked them to collect their documents, according to reports.
The said foreign nationals belonging to Tablighi Jamaat who were living in private accommodation in Ahmednagar have reportedly returned to Mumbai and Delhi to expedite their return.
“After their passports were returned, the embassies have begun facilitating the process of their return,” said lawyer Mazhar Jahagirder, reports The Indian Express.
Eight Philippines nationals who are members of the Tablighi Jamaat and were booked by the Vashi police for violation of lockdown and visa rules in March were discharged on Thursday by a Navi Mumbai court.
The Vaishi Police had filed a case against Philippines nationals on charges pertaining to spread of an infectious disease under the Indian Penal Code as well as sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Foreigners Act.
However, the Navi Mumbai district court reportedly said there was no evidence to frame charges against them.
