A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to 75 foreign nationals from Thailand and Nepal who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin, which had reportedly become an epicentre of coronavirus spread across the country.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted bail to the foreign nationals on furnishing personal bonds of Rs 10,000 each.
Advocates Ashima Mandla and Mandakini Singh appeared for 40 Thailand nationals and advocate Fahim Khan appeared for 35 Nepal nationals.
Plea bargaining application will be filed by Monday in this regard, the lawyers said.
Plea bargaining is an arrangement between the prosecutor and the defendant, in which the accused pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a lenient sentence or an agreement to drop other charges.
Nationals from Thailand and Nepal today appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued against them. The court had recently taken cognisance of the various charge sheets filed in the Jamaat congregation case against 956 foreign nationals from several countries.
The accused persons appeared before the court today through video conference in pursuance of summons issued against them. They have been duly identified by the concerned official of concern High Commissions as well as investigating officer.
According to the Delhi Police, the investigation related to the 956 foreign nationals is complete in the case and each of the foreign national has been found to have independently committed the offence for which he or she has been charge-sheeted.
Investigation Officer categorically specified that no evidence has come against the foreign nationals concerned under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and hence they have not been charge-sheeted for the abovesaid offences.
Delhi Police said that the charge sheet against the Thailand and Nepal nationals has been filed under relevant Sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which are independent of the other offences which were added during the investigation of the source FIR.
Meanwhile, the court has also summoned several foreign nationals from to Algeria, Philipinnes, Jordan, Belgium, Egypt, UK, USA, Sudan, China, Morocco, Russia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Fiji, Brazil, Afghstan, Kazakstan, and Australia for a physical appearance on Monday in connection with the congregation case.
( With inputs from ANI )