Will Bring Back Those Deported To Bangladesh And Examine Their Status: Centre Tells Supreme Court
Court has been told that it would take 8-10 days to bring back the persons deported to Bangladesh.
Supreme Court told by the Centre that it will bring back certain persons who were deported to Bangladesh last year.
The Union Government on Friday told the Supreme Court to bring back certain persons who were deported to Bangladesh, and to determine their citizenship status before taking further steps.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta today submitted before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi, "My instructions are, the Government will bring them back, and thereafter will examine their status, and depending on the outcome, will take steps accordingly,"
Court was hearing the Union's petitions challenging the Calcutta High Court's directions to repatriate certain Bengali-speaking individuals who were sent to Bangladesh on suspicion of their citizenship.
As Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde requested the bench to record the statement, SG Mehta clarified that the statement was being made in the peculiar facts of the case and cannot be regarded as a precedent.
The Supreme Court on its last hearing in the Union government’s appeal against the Calcutta High Court’s September 27, 2025 direction mandating the repatriation of persons deported to Bangladesh cautioned that opinion masquerading as news and half-baked reporting distorted public perception.
On December 3, the Central government had agreed to bring back a pregnant woman deported to Bangladesh earlier this year along with her eight-year-old son, after the Court had urged that the matter demanded humanity over technicalities. Court was told that the deportation was carried out through official channels, a judicial order recording the government’s position was necessary to enable diplomatic procedures.
In its order, the CJI Kant led bench had recorded that Sunali, who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy, must receive urgent medical supervision. Taking note of a request by Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal for West Bengal, and Sanjay Hegde, appearing for Sunali, the Court had directed that she be allowed to travel to and temporarily reside in Birbhum district, near her close relatives. “The Chief Medical Officer of Birbhum is directed to provide all medical facilities, including delivery-related amenities free of cost. As her eight-year-old child will also accompany her, the child will be provided all assistance,” the order added.
It had clarified that its order is confined to humanitarian relief for Sunali and her child and does not prejudice the Centre’s legal arguments. Notably, the Centre had filed an SLP against the Calcutta High Court order from September 26, directing that six persons deported to Bangladesh in June be brought back and given full opportunity to prove their Indian citizenship. The deportees included Sunali, her minor son and husband, who lived in Delhi’s Rohini area where she worked as a domestic help.
Case Title: Union of India v. Bodu Sekh
Bench: CJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi
Hearing Date: May 22, 2026