Gauhati High Court Grants Bail To Mohammed Sanaullah, Issues Notices To Delhi & Dispur

IDENTITY TRIAL

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court on Friday granted bail to former army officer and Kargil war veteran Mohammed Sanaullah currently lodged in a detention camp.

The Foreigners’ Tribunal at Boko in Kamrup district had last month declared 52-year-old Sanaullah a ‘foreigner’, following which he was sent to a detention camp at Goalpara.

A division bench of Gauhati High Court comprising Justice Manojit Bhuyan and Justice Prasanta Kumar Deka granted bail to Sanaullah against bail bonds of Rs 20,000 and two sureties. The high court, however, asked the retired army captain not to leave the territorial jurisdiction of Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts without informing the Superintendent of Police (Border). The court also directed the authorities concerned to collect the biometrics of Sanaullah before releasing him from the detention camp.

The Friday’s development came after Sanaullah’s family members recently moved the Gauhati High Court and filed a writ petition against the Foreigners’ Tribunal’s May 23 order along with the interlocutory application.

Hearing the writ petition the high court issued notices to all the respondents of the case, including the Centre, Assam Government, authorities of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the investigating officer of the Assam Police, to file their affidavits in the court.

The case of Md. Sanaullah was represented by renowned Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising while the respondent side was represented by Advocate U.K. Nair.

Sanaullah served the Indian Army from 1987 to 2017. He received a Presidents’ Medal when he was promoted to the rank of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in 2014. He retired as an Honorary Captain from the Indian Army.

After retirement, Sanaullah had joined Assam police as a Sub Inspector and was attached to the Border Wing of the force.

On May 23 this year, the Foreigners’ Tribunal at Boko had declared him a foreigner following which he was detained by the police on May 28 and sent to a detention camp. The tribunal’s judgment was based on a case filed against him by the Border Police saying he is an illegal Bangladeshi national.

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