Pune: An FIR was registered on Sunday against eight Tanzanian nationals, who are part of the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ), for allegedly violating visa rules and order of the lockdown.
Based on a complaint from the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO), the case has been registered with Samarth Police Station for offences under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.
According to police, they had come to Pune on March 11 and stayed at different mosques in Khadki, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Mominpura and Ghorpadi. Earlier they were tested for COVID19 on March 24, and all were found negative. After the FIR was registered, they were taken to PMC run Naidu Hospital for a medical test again.
Tablighi Jamaat Headquarter (Markaz) is located in Nizamuddin, Delhi. Devout Muslims from across the country and also from foreign countries visit the Markaz for religious purpose. Some also move out in groups to different parts of the country for Tabligh activities. This is a continuous process throughout the year.
After several cases of COVID19 were detected in Tabligh Jamaat members who recently went to Delhi Markaz, the Ministry of Home Affairs blacklisted 960 foreigners who came to India on a tourist visa instead of missionary visa for religious purpose.
Maharashtra remains one of the worst-affected states for the pandemic with the infected cases has crossed the 1,000-mark. Pune and Mumbai remain hotbeds, seeing a rise in cases and deaths every day. Three elderly patients passed away in Pune district on Tuesday as the death toll rose to eight in the district.
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