India, Sept. 9 -- The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to pay interim compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of two women who were declared non-citizens by a foreigners tribunal and sent to Bangladesh without their families being informed or being allowed to exhaust their legal remedies.

In separate orders passed on September 3, a division bench of Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Susmita Phukan Khaund also impleaded the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to facilitate the repatriation of Mumtaz Begum and Jahanara Begum from Bangladesh.

Both women were declared non-citizens by the Foreigners Tribunal in Nagaon's Juria. Mumtaz's husband Mujammel Hoque and Jahanara's son Mujahidul Islam approached the High Court ...