C'nawabganj court asks Indian High Commission to repatriate pregnant woman, 5 others jailed as 'illegal immigrants': TOI
The group's ordeal began on 26 June when they were allegedly targeted by Delhi Police, branded as "illegal immigrants" despite possessing Indian citizenship documents, and pushed across the border into Assam and subsequently into Bangladesh
A judicial magistrate's court in Chapainawabganj has recently asks the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to immediately initiate procedures to safely repatriate six Indian citizens, including a pregnant woman, who have been in a Chapainawabganj jail since 22 August.
The group's ordeal began on 26 June when they were allegedly targeted by Delhi Police, branded as "illegal immigrants" despite possessing Indian citizenship documents, and pushed across the border into Assam and subsequently into Bangladesh, reports Times of India.
The directive, issued on 30 September by a senior judicial magistrate's court, explicitly identifies all six — Sunali Khatun (the pregnant woman), her husband Danish Sk, their eight-year-old son Sabir, Sweeti Bibi, and her two sons — as "Indian citizens" possessing verified Aadhaar cards.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The Bangladeshi court's order followed a strong condemnation from the Calcutta High Court, which had slammed Delhi Police for their haste in branding the group as illegal immigrants.
The Calcutta High Court, hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Sunali's father, Bhodu Sk, gave four weeks to ensure the group's return.
Sunali, who is due to deliver her baby any day, her husband, and Sweeti were working as ragpickers in Delhi when they were apprehended by police during a drive against alleged illegal immigrants.
Despite the magisterial order and the Calcutta HC directive, the repatriation process faces potential diplomatic hurdles.
Indian Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Samirul Islam of the Trinamool Congress, who heads the West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board, vowed yesterday (10 October) to urge the union government to fast-track the steps for the group's return.
However, an Indian official suggested to TOI that the process might take longer than anticipated.
"An Aadhaar card is not proof of Indian citizenship. The identities of all six need to be established first," the official told TOI, adding that a flag meeting between the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) would be necessary for the physical handover.
Meanwhile, Indian social worker Mofijul Sk, who is coordinating legal assistance in Chapainawabganj, spoke to Sunali by phone on Friday.
"She was crying and pleaded with me to arrange for the group to return home," Mofijul told TOI, revealing Sunali had suffered a fall in jail a week ago and was yet to receive a precautionary ultrasound for her baby's health.
The tragic situation has drawn political condemnation, with Indian MP Islam posting on X that the Bangladeshi court's use of the Aadhaar card numbers as proof "exposes yet again how the anti-Bengal BJP cruelly targets poor Bengali-speaking people, labelling them as Bangladeshis."
