New Delhi, June 2 — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea filed by a 26-year-old man seeking the immediate release of his mother, Monowara Bewa, who was allegedly detained by Assam Police in violation of judicial orders amid growing concerns about overnight deportations to Bangladesh.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma agreed to hear the plea filed by Iunuch Ali, who contended that his mother was taken into custody on May 24 after being summoned to the Dhubri Police Station under the pretext of recording her statement.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the court to intervene and restrain authorities from deporting or “pushing back” Bewa across the border. “She had filed a special leave petition (SLP) before this court which is still pending. She was granted bail. Despite that, she is being thrown out,” Sibal submitted.
Responding to the urgency, the bench said, “We will list it along with the main case. We will hear it.”
When Sibal warned that the woman could be sent to Bangladesh without her family being informed, the bench sought clarification: “Thrown out means?” Sibal responded, “She might be sent to Bangladesh. We don’t know where she is. At least ask them to tell us that. The son does not know.”
The pending SLP challenges a Gauhati High Court judgment that upheld a Foreigners Tribunal’s decision declaring Bewa a foreigner. That ruling has remained under challenge in the Supreme Court since 2017.
Bewa had been granted conditional bail by the apex court on December 12, 2019, under an order that allowed the release of detainees who had spent over three years in Assam’s foreigner detention camps.
The petition expressed concern about the broader practice in Assam, alleging that persons declared foreigners are being deported overnight even while their legal proceedings remain unresolved.
The court said Ali’s fresh plea would be tagged with the pending SLP for a joint hearing.
