After SC nudge, Centre to bring back Sunali, son from Bangladesh

New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a pregnant woman and her eight-year-old son, who were deported out of the country earlier this year on suspicions of being Bangladeshis, would be brought back to India.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the government, told a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, that Sunali Khatun is being brought back "purely on humanitarian grounds".

Khatun and her son were picked up from Delhi in June and sent to Bangladesh, where they were arrested on allegations of being illegal immigrants. They were reportedly released on bail by a Bangladeshi court on Monday.


The apex court on a previous hearing had asked the government to consider allowing their return on humanitarian grounds.

"Since Sunali was taken into custody in Delhi, the solicitor general informs that she will be brought back to Delhi. However, there is a suggestion by counsel representing the respondent that she being in the family way, it will be advisable to bring her to the town where her father stays, namely, Paikar (Mandalpara) village, Murarai, District Birbhum, West Bengal," the bench recorded in its order.

It directed the chief medical officer/civil surgeon of Birbhum to provide all the medical facilities that the woman may require. It asked the West Bengal government to provide the medical facilities to her free of cost, and make arrangements for the day-to-day care of her son.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the solicitor general told the bench that she was a Bangladeshi, but her place was mentioned as Birbhum. Speaking for the bench, Justice Bagchi said the woman's claim for Indian citizenship could be determined by establishing her parentage.