KOLKATA, November 12, 2025 – The Calcutta High Court is seeking a response from the Central government regarding a contempt plea filed in connection with the Sunali Khatun case. The case involves Sunali Khatun, a pregnant migrant worker, and five others who were deported to Bangladesh in June of this year.

The division bench, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobrata Kumar Mitra, has instructed the Centre to respond by the end of November regarding the repatriation of Sunali Khatun and the other five individuals, who are currently detained in a jail in Chapai Nawabgunj, Bangladesh.

The Calcutta High Court had previously, on September 26, overturned the Centre's decision to deport Sunali Khatun, along with Danish and Sabir Shek, and three others, from West Bengal to Bangladesh. The court had directed the Centre to ensure their repatriation within four weeks. The High Court ruled the deportation illegal and rejected the Centre's request to postpone the order.

Sunali Khatun, Danish Sekh, and their minor son are residents of Paikar village, which falls under the Muraroi police station in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. Sweety, Kurban, and Imam were also deported alongside Sunali's family. Bhodu Shek, Sunali's father, stated that Danish and his family have been residing in Delhi for over 20 years. Sunali's six-year-old daughter has been living in Paikar village for the past six months.

The families were allegedly picked up from Rohini in northwest Delhi on June 24, suspected of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants due to their Bengali language. They were deported on June 26 under the orders of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO). Subsequently, Border Guard Bangladesh arrested and imprisoned them for illegally entering the country without valid travel documents, under Bangladesh's Control of Entry Act, 1952.

The family members of Sunali Khatun and Sweety Bibi initially filed a contempt of court petition, arguing that the government had failed to comply with the High Court's September 26 order to bring back the six migrant laborers who were deported to Bangladesh.

The Centre had moved the Supreme Court on October 22, challenging the High Court's order to repatriate Sunali Khatun and the five other migrant laborers from Bangladesh within four weeks. However, the Supreme Court has not yet issued any stay on the High Court's order.

According to Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Samirul Islam, who is providing legal assistance to the families, the "Centre took no action on either of the court orders".