Kolkata, Sept. 18 -- The Calcutta High Court has sought a clear explanation from the West Bengal government for the continued detention of a Murshidabad man suspected of being a Bangladeshi national, noting that the material placed before the court did not establish when he allegedly crossed the border.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya directed the officer-in-charge of Raninagar police station to file an affidavit setting out the basis for detaining Sahidul Sheikh from August 8. The Superintendent of Police-cum-Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) was asked to submit a report detailing the steps taken by the authorities since his detention. The matter will be heard again on October 8.

The order records that a September 2 communication from Raninagar police alleged that Sheikh had illegally entered India from Bangladesh years ago and had falsely claimed to be the son of deceased local resident Kalam Sheikh to obtain genuine-looking Indian identity documents. However, the court noted that the communication did not disclose when the alleged border crossing took place.

It also found ambiguity over the State's claim that Sheikh had voluntarily admitted to the illegal entry, noting that it was unclear whether the alleged admission was made before the police or the FRO.

During the hearing, the judge questioned the state over the prolonged verification and raised concerns over keeping a person in detention for such a period without clearly establishing the basis for the action.

The case comes amid other recent disputes over alleged identification and deportation of people as Bangladeshi nationals. In North Dinajpur, 66-year-old Akhtar Jalil, picked up from his home in June and allegedly taken towards the border for deportation, was released from jail on Tuesday following an order of an Islampur court.

His family had said they found him at the Dalkhola police station holding centre the next day.

Separately, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Centre's response to a petition alleging that West Bengal resident Sahida Fakir was detained in Mumbai and later deported to Bangladesh without proper verification of her nationality or a judicial determination. The court has given the Centre four weeks to respond.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.