Guwahati, Oct 12: The Gauhati High Court has warned the Assam government that it would presume a Foreigners’ Tribunal’s opinion declaring Nagaon resident Mumtaz Begum a foreigner was not finalised in time unless the state proves otherwise, intensifying scrutiny of the circumstances that led to her being sent to Bangladesh.
In an order dated October 7, the high court said it would presume that the tribunal’s opinion, dated May 30, was not ready within the prescribed timeframe — before Begum was taken into custody — if the state failed to establish otherwise.
“The court shall presume that the opinion…was not made ready within the appropriate time, i.e., prior to the taking into custody” of Begum, the order stated.
The development follows the high court’s September 3 order directing an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her deportation and asking the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to trace her and facilitate her return to India.
The court had observed that Begum was sent to Bangladesh without being given a “reasonable opportunity” to challenge the tribunal’s opinion.
The case dates back to April, when the high court set aside an earlier Foreigners’ Tribunal opinion declaring Begum a foreigner and remanded the matter for fresh consideration.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Home Ministry began searching for Begum after this newspaper contacted authorities in Dhaka in the last week of September.
Also Read: Mizoram-origin Yaba consignment worth ₹10 crore seized in Assam
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