New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS): The counsel for Tablighi Jamaat members on Monday submitted before the Supreme Court that their trial for alleged visa violations has become a punishment. Following these submissions, the Supreme Court asked the trial court to expedite hearing in the pending cases.

Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy, representing some Jamaat members, said that pleas seeking discharge of eight people are listed before the trial courts on November 10.

Senior advocate CU Singh, representing other Jamaat members, submitted that revisions have been sought by the authorities in cases where some foreign Jamaat members have been discharged.

Singh argued that the trial has become a punishment for them, and even after discharge, revision applications are filed. Singh argued, "They are not being allowed to go back to their countries."

A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna observed that the court should dispose of these petitions expeditiously and scheduled the matter for further hearing on November 20.

The petitions have been filed challenging the blacklisting of foreign members of Tablighi Jamaat, who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz congregation in the national capital in mid-March.

The top court had earlier asked the Bihar government to move the Patna High Court to seek transfer of pending cases against 13 foreign Tablighi Jamaat members before trial courts for speedy disposal preferably within eight weeks.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had submitted that he has no objection on this and cited the consolidation of trial at a Delhi court.

The Centre had informed the top court that look out notices have been withdrawn against some foreigners for their alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities. Over 200 FIRs have been filed against foreign Tablighi Jamaat members by 11 states and 2,765 such foreigners have been blacklisted so far.