Will bring back Bengal deportees from Bangladesh for citizenship check, Centre tells Supreme Court

MP, May 23, 2026, Kolkata : The Supreme Court on Friday recorded an assurance from the Union government that certain Bengali-speaking individuals deported to Bangladesh on suspicion of being illegal migrants would be brought back to India for verification of their citizenship claims.

The matter relates to Sunali Khatun, her husband Danish Sheikh and their son Sabir Sheikh, besides Sweety Bibi and her two sons, Kurban and Imam.

While the Centre had earlier agreed to bring back Sunali Khatun, who was then pregnant, and her son on humanitarian grounds, the present assurance concerns the remaining persons whose citizenship claims are yet to be verified.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi was hearing petitions filed by the Centre challenging the High Court’s directions ordering their repatriation.

Appearing for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the Centre had decided to bring the individuals back and examine their citizenship status before taking any further action.

He clarified that the statement was being made in the “peculiar facts” of the case and should not be treated as a precedent for other matters.

The Solicitor General also reportedly submitted that it might take 8–10 days to bring the persons back.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the respondents, requested the bench to formally record the assurance. The court subsequently incorporated the Centre’s stand in its order passed during the hearing.

The apex court noted in its order that the government would facilitate the return of the respondents and verify their claims of Indian citizenship, adding that their continuation in India would depend on the outcome of the enquiry.

The Calcutta High Court, in September 2025, while acting on habeas corpus petitions filed by the relatives of deported persons, had directed the repatriation of Sunali Khatun, her husband Danish Sheikh and son Sabir Sheikh.

In another petition, the High Court directed the repatriation of Sweety Bibi and her sons, Kurban and Imam.