3 hrs ago
Gauhati High Court Seeks Answers Over Deported Women
Jahanara Begum and Mumtaz Begum were taken into custody after appearing before a tribunal in Assam.
Their earlier court cases had sent their cases back for a fresh decision.
Their families say the women were taken away before they could challenge the new decisions.
Government accounts say the tribunal declared them foreigners and officials arranged for them to leave India.
Both women were sent across the border to Bangladesh on June 13, before their families’ court cases were finished.
The Gauhati High Court is asking when the tribunal’s decisions were actually prepared.
The Centre says it is trying to find the women.
The court has also ordered compensation for each family and criticized parts of the process.
The Gauhati High Court sought answers from Assam about when the Nagaon Foreigners’ Tribunal prepared fresh opinions declaring Jahanara Begum and Mumtaz Begum foreigners.
The women were deported to Bangladesh on June 13, according to the Centre and documents described in court, before their families’ appeals were finally decided.
The Centre told the court that the Ministry of External Affairs was trying to trace the women and requested more time.
The state says the tribunal declared both women foreigners and that officials acted under its expulsion orders; the BSF said it carried out the state’s orders.
The court has questioned the timing and legality of the process, ordered Rs 2 lakh compensation for each family, and warned it may presume the tribunal’s opinions were not ready in time.
- Who
- Jahanara Begum and Mumtaz Begum; the Assam government, the Centre, and the Gauhati High Court.
- What
- The High Court is seeking answers about the timing of tribunal opinions and the women’s deportation to Bangladesh.
- Where
- The cases concern Nagaon district in Assam and the women’s deportation to Bangladesh.
- When
- The women were deported on June 13; the court issued its latest warning on October 7.
- Why
- The court is examining whether the tribunal opinions were ready before the women were detained and deported, while their court challenges were ongoing.
Court and families’ concerns
State and authorities’ account
Timing of tribunal opinions
Court and families’ concerns
The High Court is demanding proof of when the opinions were prepared and warned it may presume they were not ready in time before the women were taken into custody.
State and authorities’ account
The state says the tribunal declared both women foreigners on the days they appeared, May 29 for Jahanara and May 30 for Mumtaz.
Detention and deportation process
Court and families’ concerns
The court criticized the expulsion orders and questioned the process, noting the women were already held at Matia when orders gave them 24 hours to leave.
State and authorities’ account
The state says it issued expulsion orders and directed officials to act; the BSF said it only executed the state’s orders and had no role in determining foreigner status.
Whereabouts of the women
Court and families’ concerns
Their families brought the matter to court after being unable to locate them, and the court was told they had been deported before the families’ appeals were resolved.
State and authorities’ account
The Centre said the Ministry of External Affairs was conducting an inquiry to trace the women and asked the court for more time.
Key facts
- Women
- Jahanara Begum, 47, and Mumtaz Begum, 43
- Deportation date
- June 13, according to the account given in court
- Destination
- Bangladesh
- Tribunal
- Nagaon Foreigners’ Tribunal
- Latest court warning
- On October 7, the High Court sought the date and time when the tribunal opinions were prepared.
- Compensation
- Rs 2 lakh for each family
- Centre’s position
- The Ministry of External Affairs was trying to trace the women, and the Centre sought more time.
Sources
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