Tablighi Jamaat: Once Accused of Spreading COVID, High Court Quashes 16 FI

#News Bureau July18,2025

Tablighi Jamaat COVID Case: The Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 FIRs and charge sheets filed against 70 Indian members of the Tablighi Jamaat, who had been accused of spreading the coronavirus. This comes after a period when government agencies and large sections of the media had declared them responsible for the spread of COVID-19.

he Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 FIRs and related charge sheets filed against 70 Indian citizens associated with the Tablighi Jamaat. These individuals were accused of harboring foreign nationals in mosques and conspiring during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The decision was delivered by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, who stated, “The charge sheets are quashed.” However, the detailed judgment is yet to be made public.

According to Live Law, the 70 Indians were alleged to have sheltered foreign nationals who attended the Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz between March 24 and March 30, 2020. Authorities claimed this violated lockdown and pandemic-related restrictions. At that time, a large section of the media reported—based on police sources—that these individuals were responsible for spreading COVID-19. Delhi Police had charged them under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, and the Foreigners Act. During this period, mosques and other Muslim religious sites were being searched for Jamaat members after they were branded as “COVID super spreaders.”

However, while hearing 16 petitions, the Delhi High Court dismissed all charges. Earlier, Delhi Police had opposed these petitions, arguing that the accused violated government orders and contributed to the spread of COVID-19. Republic TV, led by Arnab Goswami, repeatedly accused the Jamaat members of being super spreaders on national television.

In 2020, the Tablighi Jamaat’s Nizamuddin Markaz was declared a major COVID-19 hotspot. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval personally visited the Markaz. Following this, legal action was initiated across the country against Jamaat members, mosques, and numerous Indian and foreign nationals. The FIRs included the names of 195 foreign citizens.

This ruling marks a significant turning point in the Tablighi Jamaat cases, where the group was once held responsible for spreading COVID-19. The matter had sparked nationwide controversy, and this judgment brings relief to Indian citizens who have faced legal proceedings for the past five years.

Earlier, Delhi Police had claimed that these individuals not only violated lockdown regulations but also contributed to the spread of the pandemic by sheltering foreign nationals at the Nizamuddin Markaz. However, the court dismissed these allegations due to lack of sufficient evidence.

In early April 2020, as the COVID-19 outbreak escalated in India, the Muslim missionary group Tablighi Jamaat was accused of aggravating the health emergency. Several leaders from the BJP and RSS blamed the Jamaat for worsening the situation, and the government blacklisted over 950 foreign nationals. They were accused of violating emergency rules by participating in the congregation at the Jamaat’s Markaz (center) in Delhi.

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