New Delhi, Jul 30 (IANS): The Delhi Police on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that more than 80 foreign nationals connected to the Nizamuddin Markaz case are stuck in Kolkata, and will not be arrested if they cooperate in the investigation.

The submission was made before a bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani which was hearing a batch of four petitions by 84 foreign nationals seeking quashing of the FIR registered against them.

Counsel afor the Delhi Police appraised the bench that since the foreigners were not able to travel to Delhi due to lockdown in Kolkata, the police is ready to send its team to West Bengal for the purpose of investigation.

Following these submissions, the bench directed that the investigation be carried out against the said persons there. "Accordingly, let investigation pursuant to notices be carried out against the petitioners in Kolkata."

The bench, while posting the matter for further hearing on August 24, directed the Delhi government and the Delhi Police to apprise it of the developments on the next date.

Out of the batch of four petitions, three were heard on Tuesday while the fourth one came up for hearing on Wednesday. The petitioners, who moved the high court through advocate Musharraf Ali Khan, have also sought quashing of the Look-Out Circulars (LoC) issued against them by the Bureau of Immigration.

Delhi Police has filed 53 charge sheets in district courts here in respect of 955 other foreign nationals belonging to 35 countries. A total of 908 foreigners were allowed by the trial court to be deported to their native countries after they admitted their guilt and pleaded for lenient punishments under the provisions of plea bargaining.

On March 31, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police lodged an FIR against seven persons, including Jamaat chief Maulana Saad, on a complaint by the SHO of Nizamuddin police station here for holding a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The Enforcement Directorate has also filed a money laundering case against Saad, trusts linked to the Jamaat and others.

The ED, Crime Branch and Income Tax are also examining the bank accounts operated by Saad and his aides to figure out whether these transactions violated the integrity of banking and financial system because in several cases, money received in one account was transferred to another account within 24 hours.