Ten Indonesian nationals, arrested
for allegedly not disclosing details about their participation in a religious gathering in Delhi in March that was linked to COVID-19 spread, sought bail from sessions court here on Tuesday.
The ten Indonesians, including six women, are all members of the Tablighi Jamaat and had attended the religious meet of the outfit at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi in March. The mega meet had turned out to be a key source of the COVID-19 spread in the country.
They were arrested bythe Mumbai Police under various sections of the IPC on completion of their quarantine period last month.
They moved the plea before the sessions court here after failing to secure bail from a Bandra court.
The holy month of Ramadan is underway and there is no proper facility in jail for meals at the time of 'suhoor' and Iftar, their plea said.
Moreover the present case is a "classic example" of "misuse" of powers of the police machinery by applying sections 304 (culpable homicide) and 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC without evidence to justify the same, it added.
The application further saiddespite having tested negative for COVID-19 there was no need for their arrestand the same is an arbitrary exercise of powers.
The matter is posted for further hearing on May 8.
These ten members were part of a group of 12 Tablighis from Indonesia who were staying at an apartment in Bandra (west) here since March 29 after returning from Delhi, an official said.
A large number of COVID-19 cases were attributed to the religious congregation as many Tablighi Jamaat participants had travelled to various parts of the country.
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