Assam must compensate husband in cross-border deportation case

The Gauhati High Court has pulled up Assam authorities for their handling of a case involving the alleged unlawful deportation of a woman across the border into Bangladesh. The court has ordered the state government to pay ₹2 lakh compensation to the woman's husband and has taken serious exception to the manner in which a Foreigners' Tribunal in Nagaon disposed of the matter. In its order, the court expressed concern over the irregularities in the tribunal proceedings and the subsequent removal of the woman without following due process. The court has impleaded the Ministry of External Affairs as a party in the case and directed it to make efforts to locate the woman in Bangladesh and facilitate her repatriation to India. The case highlights procedural lapses in deportation matters and raises questions about the accountability of tribunals tasked with determining the citizenship and legal status of individuals. The court's intervention underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring that fundamental rights are protected even in sensitive border security matters, and that citizens are not deprived of their liberty without adherence to established legal frameworks.