Executive, judiciary brainstorm over FTs

‘Eleven years later, over 2 lakh IM(DT) cases

still not transferred to Foreigners Tribuls’

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, April 23: The Executive and Judiciary are coming together to plug holes in the process of detection and deportation of foreigners.

The Judicial Academy, Assam and the State’s Home & Political department today launched a two-day refresher course for members of Foreigners Tribuls and Border SPs in which several shortcomings in the process of identification and detection of foreigners were discussed.

An appalling fact revealed during today’s discussion was that neither the Central government nor the State government took any initiative to transfer over 2 lakh cases that were pending with the IM(DT)’s screening committee to the Foreigners Tribuls.

“The IM(DT) Act was scrapped by the Supreme Court in 2005. Around 2.06 lakh cases were pending with the screening committee. The cases are still to be transferred to the FTs, but it has not been done in the last ten years,” Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of Gauhati High Court said. Justice Bhuyan is a member of the High Court’s special bench constituted by the Supreme Court to monitor the functioning of FTs.

Speaking at the programme, judges, Home department officials and senior police officers said that the problem was not just about detection of foreigners. “It is about checking exterl aggression and safeguarding interl peace, development and tiol security,” they said.

Justice Hrishikesh Roy said the FTs are discharging tiol duty.

“The issue (of influx) is linked to tiol security, development and economy,” he said, asking FT members and police not to take the matter lightly.

“If the FTs are facing any problems related to infrastructure and funds, the government should address it so that the members can work freely,” Justice Roy said.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan reminded that the threat posed by influx of illegal migrants has been time and again underlined by Parliament, various courts, as well as reports of intelligence agencies etc.

“If any accused is acquitted by the FT, the police should not think that their job is done. They should evaluate and introspect what went wrong in the process of investigation and evidence gathering… after all it is not a crimil case,” he said.

Chief Secretary Vinod Kumar Pipersenia said the Judiciary should come up with guidelines for the police so that they can plug gaps in the investigation process.

Highlighting that the influx of illegal migrants is a serious issue which has a bearing on commul harmony and tiol security, DGP Mukesh Sahay underscored the need to address the lacue in the process of identification of foreigners.

Additiol Chief Secretary (Home) TY Das assured continued logistic support to the FTs and border police.

Director of the Judicial Academy, Assam, AC Upadhyay pointed out that the issue is linked to the NRC update process.

“A police officer must know how to prepare the cases and put it up at courts,” he said.

During today’s meeting, Commissioner & Secretary (Home) SS Meekshi Sundaram was appointed as the nodal officer for addressing the issues faced by Foreigners Tribuls.