The Kolkata High Court on Friday struck down Indian government’s decision to deport two women and their families from Birbhum, West Bengal, to Bangladesh, declaring the move unlawful and ordering the repatriation of all six individuals—including three children—within a month, according to The Times of India.
The court also rejected the government’s plea for a temporary stay on the order.
The petitions were filed by relatives of Sonali Bibi and Sweety Bibi, residents of Paikar in Murarai, Birbhum.
The families stated that they had been living and working in Delhi for over two decades as daily wage earners.
On June 18, Delhi Police detained them on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals, and they were deported nine days later, on June 27.
Reports suggest they were subsequently arrested by Bangladeshi authorities.
Sonali’s family informed the court that she was nine months pregnant at the time of deportation, raising concerns about the citizenship status of her child if born outside India.
Lawyers representing the families argued that the deportation was carried out despite the submission of valid documentation, including land records, voter ID cards of their parents and grandparents, and birth certificates issued by government hospitals.
In its affidavit, Indian government contended that the petitions were not maintainable before the Kolkata High Court, citing parallel proceedings in the Delhi High Court.
It further stated that the deportation was conducted under directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, referencing a May 2025 memo outlining procedures for deporting Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationals.
Following the verdict, Trinamool Congress MP Samirul Islam welcomed the ruling, calling it a “Victory for Bengal.”
He accused the BJP-led government of targeting poor Bengali families under the guise of immigration enforcement, describing the deportation as part of an “anti-Bengali, anti-poor agenda.”
