960 Tablighi foreigners blacklisted, visas cancelled by MHA; states told to take legal action

New Delhi, Apr 02: The government on Thursday blacklisted 960 foreigners and cancelled their visas after finding they were involved in Tablighi Jamaat activities violating their visa conditions.

The Home Minister's Office asked Delhi Police and police chiefs of other states, where these foreigners are currently living, to take legal action under the Foreigners Act and the Disaster Management Act.

"The home ministry has blacklisted 960 foreigners and their Indian visas have also been cancelled for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities while coming on tourist visas," the home minister's office tweeted in Hindi.

The Centre also told state governments that those violating the coronavirus lockdown or obstructing officials should be imprisoned amid reports of doctors and healthcare personnel being attacked.

In a letter to all chief secretaries of the states and union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla directed states and union territories to book those who violate lockdown rules or make false claims under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005 ,

"Violators of lockdown should be punished under the IPC. Anyone obstructing enforcement of lockdown could be punishable for jail term of up to 2 years," Bhalla wrote according to PTI.

Nine days into the 21-day lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break the chain of transmission of the virus, the number of infected people in the country has reached almost 2,000 while more than 50 have died so far.