Supreme Court directs Centre, Assam government to file status report on Bangladeshi migrants in detention centres

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday directed the Centre and the Assam government to file a fresh report with regard to the status of release of Bangladeshi migrants in detention centres as per its earlier order. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde was apprised by advocate Prashant Bhushan that over 300 people were in detention for over three years, while more than 700 had been detained for over one year. [caption id=“attachment_6604251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Supreme Court of India. Reuters[/caption] The apex court posted the matter for hearing in the third week of March after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time. The top court in May last year had ordered that illegal foreigners in Assam who have completed more than three years in detention may be released after they provide biometric details in a secured database. It had also directed them to furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two Indian sureties and give details of address of stay after release. The top court had also agreed that the Assam government should be given some more time to indicate the progress made on the diplomatic level, among others, with regard to deportation of declared foreigners and setting up of additional foreigners’ tribunals. It had also directed the state government to place on record a detailed scheme, in consultation with the Gauhati High Court (on the administrative side), with regard to the constitution of foreigners’ tribunals, including the appointment of members, staff, etc. The said details shall be placed on record as soon as possible and if required, the state will be at liberty to make a mention of the matter before the vacation bench, the apex court had said. It had earlier asked the Assam government to work on the modalities of setting up around 1,000 foreigners’ tribunals for speedy disposal of cases related to illegal immigrants.