Centre Tells Supreme Court It Will Bring Back Deported Persons Sent To Bangladesh To Verify Citizenship Claims

The Union Government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it will bring back certain individuals who were deported to Bangladesh and examine their claims of Indian citizenship before taking any further action.

The assurance was made during a hearing on petitions challenging a Calcutta High Court order directing the repatriation of several Bengali-speaking individuals who had allegedly been deported on suspicion over their nationality.

Government’s Assurance Before the Supreme Court

Appearing for the Centre, Tushar Mehta told the bench that the government had decided to bring the affected individuals back to India and verify their citizenship status.

“My instructions are, the Government will bring them back, and thereafter will examine their status, and depending on the outcome, will take steps accordingly,” Mehta submitted.

He clarified, however, that the government’s undertaking was being made in the peculiar facts of the case and should not be treated as a precedent for future matters.

Supreme Court Records Centre’s Statement

The matter was heard by a bench comprising Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi, and Vipul Pancholi.

Recording the Centre’s assurance, the bench noted that the government had agreed to bring the respondents back to India and conduct a verification of their citizenship claims.

The court further observed that their continued stay in India would depend on the outcome of that inquiry.

Return Process May Take Up to 10 Days

The Solicitor General informed the court that the repatriation process could take eight to ten days.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the respondents, requested that the Centre’s statement be formally recorded by the bench.

High Court Ordered Repatriation

The case stems from orders passed by the Calcutta High Court in September 2025, following habeas corpus petitions filed by relatives of those deported.

The High Court had directed the return of Sunali Khatun, her husband Danish Sekh, and their son Sabir Sekh. In a separate petition, it also ordered the repatriation of Sweety Bibi and her sons, Kurban and Imam.

These individuals had reportedly been deported to Bangladesh after being suspected of not being Indian citizens.

Earlier Humanitarian Relief

In December last year, the Union Government had already agreed to bring back Sunali Khatun, who was pregnant at the time, along with her son, on humanitarian grounds.

The Supreme Court had also earlier suggested that the Centre consider bringing back the deported individuals to properly assess their citizenship claims before any final action was taken.

With the Centre now agreeing to repatriate the individuals, the focus will shift to the citizenship verification process, which will determine whether they can continue to remain in India.