Intelligence Agencies Red-Flag Tablighi Jamaat For Alleged Misuse Of Tourist, Student And Medical Visas In Proselytising

Central and state intelligence agencies have raised serious concerns over the activities of the Tablighi Jamaat network in Maharashtra. Reports indicate that several foreign nationals associated with the group have repeatedly violated visa regulations.Since tourist visas explicitly prohibit missionary or propagation-related work, officials have classified such participation by Tablighi Jamaat members as a clear breach of visa norms.  

Intelligence Concerns Over Tablighi Jamaat Activities

Intelligence and immigration desks have increasingly flagged these instances, noting a growing trend of foreign Tablighi Jamaat members arriving on short-term visas and participating in local ijtemas or proselytising within communities. Officials have found that these individuals deliberately avoid mosques and large congregations to minimize detection. Instead, they are reportedly accommodated in hotels, private lodges, and local residences, with local facilitators providing logistical support, including transport and event coordination.. This calibrated strategy enables the network to function under the radar while bypassing regulatory oversight.These patterns have triggered advisories to district authorities to intensify checks at sensitive locations, monitor local ijtemas, and verify the movement of foreigners. 

Officials pointed out that during the ongoing Ganpati festival, high public footfall and heightened religious sensitivities demand stronger vigilance. Inputs of foreign nationals engaging in missionary activity acquire added significance at this time, as agencies are under instructions to pre-empt any activity that could disturb communal harmony or public order.

Agency inputs accessed by FPJ indicate multiple recent cases of foreign nationals violating tourist visa conditions by participating in Tablighi Jamaat activities. Intelligence and immigration desks have flagged a clear pattern of foreigners using short-term visas to attend local ijtemas or engage in proselytising.

A few months ago, the Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID) flagged the case of six Moroccan nationals who visited Latur district to attend a local ijtema. Although they had entered India on tourist visas, they were allegedly involved in Tablighi-related activities, raising concerns of visa misuse. Authorities were advised to increase vigilance in districts hosting such gatherings.   

Past Violations and 2020 Nizamuddin Markaz Controversy

Before 2020, foreign Tablighi Jamaat members openly entered India on tourist, student, and medical visas and engaged in proselytising activities, even though such activities were explicitly prohibited under visa norms. These visitors usually arrived in groups, often timed around large ijtemas (religious congregations), and operated from mosques or markaz (religious centres) such as the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi and centres in Latur, Aurangabad, and Parbhani in Maharashtra. Local mosque committees frequently hosted these visitors, providing accommodation, food, and logistical support. These groups followed structured itineraries, sometimes lasting up to 40 days for preaching tours known as chilla, moving between districts to conduct direct dawah,visiting homes, mosques, and communities to spread their message. While these activities were highly visible to local authorities, they were largely tolerated until the COVID-19 pandemic brought them under scrutiny.

 Following the 2020 Nizamuddin Markaz controversy, India tightened visa rules to explicitly bar foreign nationals from participating in Tablighi Jamaat activities. The Ministry of Home Affairs clarified that religious preaching, attending or speaking at ijtemas, proselytising tours, or distributing religious material is prohibited under all visa categories, including tourist, business, medical, and student visas. Thousands of foreigners who had visited the Delhi Markaz were blacklisted, with many barred from re-entry for up to ten years. Immigration authorities were instructed to scrutinize arrivals closely, and violations could result in visa cancellation, deportation, and long-term blacklisting. Hotels, mosques, and lodgings hosting foreign visitors were directed to report stays to local police to ensure tighter monitoring.  

While the Bombay High Court later quashed FIRs against foreign members, criticizing mechanical police action, the Delhi High Court recently also quashed charges against Indian nationals who had sheltered foreign Tablighi Jamaat attendees during the COVID-19 lockdown, citing lack of evidence and absence of criminal intent. But the visa restrictions remain in force, establishing a zero-tolerance regime enforced primarily through immigration and administrative measure

The strict visa restrictions, however, gave rise to a new modus operandi. Agencies have noted that Tablighi Jamaat-linked visitors now prefer hotels, private lodges, or local residences over mosques or markaz, reducing visibility. Large delegations have been replaced by smaller groups, with local facilitators managing logistics, including accommodation, transport, and food. These measures reduce visibility to authorities, making it harder for security and immigration agencies to detect visa violations while enabling proselytising activities to continue discreetly.  

Radicalisation Risks and Security Overlap

Beyond visa violations, the Tablighi Jamaat’s global footprint, spanning over 150 countries, has drawn scrutiny for organisational and financial practices. Its decentralised leadership, informal record-keeping, and opaque funding channels have raised concerns over undeclared foreign contributions, large cash inflows, and irregular banking activity. Investigators identified donations routed through unregulated channels that violated FCRA regulations. The CBI registered a preliminary enquiry in 2020, while the Enforcement Directorate monitors potential money laundering under the PMLA. 

At the local level, unauthorised religious constructions and informal congregation spaces have been detected in sensitive districts, triggering complaints, FIRs, and administrative intervention. NGOs, charitable trusts, and hawala networks linked to these activities are under investigation, highlighting risks of foreign influence and statutory non-compliance.

The more critical reason why security agencies continue to monitor the Jamaat is the overlap between its networks and individuals later implicated in radicalisation.While the organization does not preach violence, intelligence reports indicate that some individuals attending Tablighi gatherings were later linked to extremist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS. This has prompted continued monitoring to prevent potential misuse of the movement’s missionary structure.

Community Response and Allegations of Bias

However, Maulana Mahmood Daryabadi,Islamic scholar, and founder member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, has defended the Tablighi Jamaat, stating that its members strictly follow the law and are not involved in violations. He criticized government and agency actions as deliberate Islamophobia targeting Muslims. He said, “If the immigration authorities have evidence, it should be presented transparently. While it is possible that one or two cases may have occurred, it is wrong to accuse the entire Tablighi Jamaat of suspicious activities or visa violations.”

Maulana Daryabadi expressed concern that such measures could harm India’s international image, portraying the government as unfairly targeting a religious minority. He urged authorities to ensure fair, transparent, and impartial handling of these matters.

Agencies Stress Preventive Monitoring

Intelligence agencies continue to monitor the Tablighi Jamaat closely, enforcing visa compliance, operational oversight, and financial scrutiny to mitigate potential risks arising from proselytising activities, foreign influence, and regulatory violations. Officials stressed that current monitoring is preventive. “The aim is not to interfere with lawful religious practices,” a senior security official clarified. “But when foreign nationals misuse visa categories or unauthorized structures are raised in public spaces, it becomes a legal and security concern.” Agencies have recommended closer coordination between district police, immigration authorities, and central intelligence units, with actions, if violations are established, expected under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and relevant state regulations.