Kolkata, July 16 -- The Calcutta High Court has observed that ownership of immovable property cannot be treated as proof of Indian citizenship, noting that even a foreign national is legally capable of purchasing property in India.
The observation came while hearing a petition concerning Murshidabad resident Nasir Molla, who has been lodged at the Lalgola holding centre since June 18 after being detained on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national.
A division bench comprising Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi was examining documents produced by Nasir's cousin, Suman Molla, who has challenged the detention and maintains that Nasir is an Indian citizen. The bench had earlier granted the petitioner another opportunity to produce material establishing Nasir's citizenship.
During an earlier hearing, the petitioner's counsel relied on land records. The bench, however, held that such documents could not conclusively establish citizenship, observing that acquisition of property in India does not automatically confer Indian nationality.
According to the state's report, Nasir had allegedly admitted during questioning that he was born in Bangladesh's Rohimpur and had entered India illegally around 14 to 15 years ago.
His family has disputed that claim, contending that he possesses an Aadhaar card, PAN card and voter identity card and had voted in previous elections. They argued that his name was deleted during the 2026 Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls despite filing the required enumeration form. An appeal against the deletion remains pending before the SIR Appellate Tribunal.
The High Court has granted the petitioner another opportunity to place documents on record to substantiate Nasir's claim of Indian citizenship.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.