TJ attendees in Karnataka take heart from Bombay HC order

Belagavi: Foreign nationals in Karnataka who attended the Tablighi Jamaat are seeking withdrawal of FIRs after the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court last week struck down criminal cases registered against foreigners in Maharashtra. The attendees may move the Karnataka High Court to quash cases.
In Karnataka, FIRs were filed against persons from Indonesia, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan and South Africa in Belagavi, Tumakuru, Bidar and Bengaluru. In Belagavi, five Indonesian couples were booked for visa violations and are currently on bail. They’re staying at a mosque and barred from leaving the country.
Tablighi Jamaat came under fire for holding a religious congregation in March and was accused of deliberately spreading the coronavirus. The Aurangabad bench observed that foregin nationals were scapegoats. Faizulla Madiwale, who knows the Indonesians in Belagavi, said the Karnataka government should withdraw the cases. He said: “It’s unfair to target them.”
An Indonesian said: “The purpose of our visit was religious; we have no other agenda. I request the Indian government to withdraw cases so that we can return home.”
Zaheer Abbas, the advocate helping them, told TOI that some in Karnataka didn’t even attend the event but were booked. He said: “”Ten foreigners left India after paying fines, but many are not inclined to plead guilty as they haven’t done any wrong.”