NEW DELHI:  The Centre Thursday told the Supreme Court that the police has withdrawn look out notices against some foreigners, who have challenged in the apex court the government’s orders blacklisting several citizens of 35 countries for alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari that petitioners who are before the SC would be “free to leave” India subject to any other pending proceedings including order passed by the court requiring their presence.

“Solicitor General has also, in all fairness, submitted that if the concerned petitioners tender apology, as envisaged by the Madras High Court in the concerned criminal case, the said petitioners can be permitted to leave India despite the pendency of the criminal case but subject to such orders that may be passed by the concerned trial court,” the bench said.

The bench was informed that 10 petitioners before the SC have decided to contest cases pending against them for alleged violation of visa norms and they are not willing to exercise the option of plea bargaining.The bench ordered transfer of cases pending against them in different trial courts in Delhi to the court of chief metropolitan magistrate, South-East Delhi, Saket district court here and said that these matters be disposed of expeditiously, preferably within eight weeks.

The apex court passed the order while hearing the petitions filed by 34 foreigners who have challenged the Centre’s orders blacklisting more than 2,700 citizens of 35 countries from travelling to India for 10 years for involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities. Mehta, while apprising the bench that cases against 10 out of the 34 petitioners are pending before different trial courts, suggested that these matters may be consolidated.