Fiji nationals who allegedly breached India’s lockdown guidelines granted bail

The Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Yogesh Karan has confirmed that they are liaising with the government of India about the Fiji nationals that have been charged for violating the Indian government's lockdown guidelines in March.

These Fiji nationals are among 91 foreigners from 21 countries that have been granted bail by a court in New Delhi in India for attending a congregation at the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz at Nizamuddin.

The Hindustan Times reports that the 91 foreigners are also charged for violating visa conditions and indulging in missionary activities illegally.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted bail to the accused persons on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.

The Hindustan Times reports the foreigners who got bail came from Afghanistan, Brazil, China, the USA, Ukraine, Australia, Egypt, Russia, Algeria, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, France, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Tunisia, UK, Fiji, Sudan, Philippines, and Ethiopia.

All the foreign nationals are staying at a hotel and were produced before the court through video conferencing.

Thousands of people participated in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin in March and later, many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country. It has become one of India’s largest COVID-19 clusters.