70 Indian Muslims Acquitted by Delhi High Court in Tablighi Jamaat COVID-19 Case

70 Indian Muslims Acquitted by Delhi High Court in Tablighi Jamaat COVID-19 Case
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The Delhi High Court has acquitted 70 Indian Muslims who were charged in 2020 with sheltering foreign Tablighi Jamaat members during the COVID-19 lockdown, accused of contributing to virus spread, Muslim Mirror reported.

The court dismissed all cases, stating the prosecution failed to provide substantial evidence. The accused had faced charges related to violating lockdown restrictions and endangering public health after a Tablighi Jamaat religious gathering in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area attracted national scrutiny.

The court found the allegations were based on assumptions without corroborative proof, emphasizing that the individuals had offered humanitarian aid during a crisis and were not criminally liable. Legal experts and civil rights activists praised the verdict as a correction of a communal narrative that unfairly targeted a religious community.

Defense lawyers called the acquittal a vindication of justice, highlighting the politically motivated nature of the charges. This ruling follows earlier court decisions dismissing similar cases against foreign Tablighi Jamaat attendees, many deported after detention. The judgment is seen as both a legal relief for the accused and a reaffirmation of secular values, discouraging scapegoating during emergencies.