Plea seeking release of quarantined Tablighi Jamaat members withdrawn from Delhi HC

A petition seeking immediate release of the quarantined Tablighi Jamaat members was withdrawn from the Delhi High Court on Friday after the Delhi government stated that their release had already been ordered.

The petition filed by social activist Sabiha Quadri sought the release of all persons related to Tablighi Jamaat congregation claiming that they had been 'detained for more than 35 days in the name of quarantine.' However, the petitioner decided to withdraw the petition after the submission of counsel representing Delhi government stated that the government had already ordered the release of these people from quarantine.

Read: 'Felt Like Home': Tablighi Jamaat Members Testify 'good Facilities' During Covid Treatment

Read: Delhi Govt Asks DMs To Release 2,446 Tablighi Jamaat Members

The bench headed by Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Harishankar was hearing the plea which also sought the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate as to why and on whose orders were the Tablighi Jamaat members under quarantine for so long despite being tested negative.

The petitioner represented by advocate Shahid Ali had sought that a high-level/power committee conduct an investigation to see whether quarantine of members of Tablighi Jamaat was 'violative of the Constitution of India'. It had sought a committee enquiry into whether the same principle of quarantine has been applied to other groups of people as well suggesting the 'existence of discrimination' in dealing with the Jamaat members. 

"The Government of Delhi and other respondents have already violated the impugned guidelines and many people have been illegally and malafidely lodged in quarantine centres as if they are being punished for any crime and their illegal detention is being continuously increasing every day and even every minute," the plea read.

Earlier, an FIR was registered against Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad and others under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897 in connection with the congregation held at Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital back in early March.

Read: Muzaffarnagar: 15 Tablighi Jamaat Members Sent To 14-day Judicial Custody

Read: FIRs Against 13 Tablighi Jamaat Members For Defying Lockdown

(With Agency Inputs)