BENGALURU: A 21-year-old Indian-origin British national, who allegedly took part in a recent Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Mumbai, was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, on Monday night.

Meman Sulaiman Mohamed had come to board a special flight to the UK. BIAL police said the UK government had arranged the special flight, ‘British Airways BA-911’, to take home 165 of its nationals stranded across India.

Mohamed carried an Overseas Citizenship of India card which he produced at the immigration counter. Preliminary inquiries revealed he had arrived in India on February 11 and visited Nerul Tablighi Markaz. He stayed there till February 13. He was actively involved in Tabligh events, a violation of the Foreigners Act 1946.

“We have registered a criminal case against Mohamed based on a complaint filed by immigration officer Ravikumaran Nair,” a police officer said. “Mohamed claims he did not attend the Delhi congregation and was staying in Mumbai. He has been shifted to a quarantine facility in Devanahalli. Doctors have collected his throat swab sample for Covid-19 test and it was negative,” an officer said.

Police are checking the veracity of his claims. “We are yet to question him thoroughly; he appears to be scared and is tight-lipped,” the officer added.