After enduring 103 days in a Bangladeshi prison, 26-year-old Sunali Khatun and her son, Sabir, have returned to India. The Birbhum residents were repatriated on Friday evening through the Malda border in North Bengal. This homecoming follows a Supreme Court directive to the central government to facilitate their return.
Sunali and Sabir were handed over to an Indian official of the rank of deputy high commissioner around 7 p.m. They were then taken to a Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Mehedipur for necessary formalities. Following this, they were moved to the Malda Medical College and Hospital for medical tests. If doctors deem her fit to travel, Sunali will be transported to her residence in the Dorjee Para area of Paikar village in the Birbhum district on Saturday.
Sunali, who is in the advanced stages of pregnancy, and her son were initially apprehended by the Katju Nagar police in Delhi on June 18. They were taken from the Bengali Basti in Sector 26, Rohini, where Sunali had been living for over two decades and working as a ragpicker and waste collector. The authorities suspected them of being Bangladeshi nationals. Subsequently, Sunali, along with her husband, Danesh, and Sabir, were deported to Bangladesh following orders from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
The deportation also included Sweety Bibi and her two sons, Qurban Sheikh, 16, and Imam Dewan, 6, who were from the same Birbhum village. The Supreme Court has ordered the repatriation of these four deportees as well, but there is no clarity on when they will be brought back.
The Supreme Court intervened, emphasizing humanity over legal technicalities. The Calcutta High Court had previously directed that the six individuals deported to Bangladesh in June be brought back to India and given an opportunity to prove their Indian citizenship. The central government appealed these orders. The Supreme Court acknowledged the need for a humanitarian approach, particularly considering Sunali's pregnancy. The court has scheduled a further hearing on the matter for December 12.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that the government was considering bringing Sunali and her son back to India on humanitarian grounds, despite maintaining its stance that she is an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh. The court also directed that Sunali receive free medical treatment, considering her pregnancy. The Mamata Banerjee government supported the plea and requested the Supreme Court to seek a response from the Centre regarding the return of the other four, including Sunali's husband, Danish. The court agreed that Sunali would receive better care during her pregnancy if she stayed with her father in Bengal and instructed the Centre to send her there after her repatriation. It also directed the Birbhum medical officer to provide her with free pregnancy-related healthcare.
