Birbhum Deportation Case: Families File Contempt Plea in Calcutta HC for Non-Compliance of Return Order

Families of six Birbhum district, West Bengal residents, who were repatriated to Bangladesh, filed a contempt petition in the Kolkata High Court against the Central Government. The families claimed that the Central Government had failed to implement the court's order for their return to India within a month. According to court documents, the matter is listed for hearing on November 6th before a bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Ritobroto Kumar Mitra.

Earlier, on September 26th, the same bench, while hearing the family's habeas corpus petition, had quashed the Central Government's decision to deport the six people (including three children) to Bangladesh, declaring them illegal immigrants. According to reports, a woman named Sonali, who is nine months pregnant, is currently in a Bangladeshi jail. Authorities there detained them, claiming they were illegal residents. However, on September 30, a Bangladeshi court declared them Indian citizens and directed the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to arrange for their repatriation.

Meanwhile, on October 22, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) approached the Supreme Court challenging the Kolkata High Court's decision. The Ministry argued that the Kolkata High Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter because the detention and deportation process took place in Delhi. The Supreme Court is now considering the Ministry's appeal and the legality of the deportation process.

The High Court stated in its order that the deportation process was carried out in a hurry, violating the Ministry's directives under which the FRRO in Delhi handles the repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals.