Relatives of Bengal family pushed into Bangladesh to file habeas corpus petition in HC
A missing diary has also been lodged at Paikar police station in Birbhum, their native place.
Danish Sheikh (30), his wife Sunali Khatun (26), and their eight-year-old son, were detained by Delhi Police during the ongoing drive against 'illegal' Bangladesh migrants in the national capital. Their daughter, who was at a relative's place, is still in India.
Danish's family said that he moved to Delhi two decades ago and worked as a ragpicker there.
Earlier this year, they visited their native village, Paikar, in Birbhum district for Eid and returned to Delhi in May. Danish's family claimed that they came to know from him on July 4 that he and his wife and minor son were pushed into Bangladesh; and since then, they have not heard from them.
'I have filed a missing diary at the local police station. Tomorrow (Tuesday), we are planning to file a petition in the Calcutta High Court,' said Bhodu Sheikh, father of Sunali.
According to Sunali's cousin, they had sent all relevant documents proving their citizenship to the Delhi Police, but they refused to accept them. 'All documents, including land deeds, were provided to the police. But they didn't budge,' Roshni Bibi, a cousin of Sunali, told The Indian Express over the phone from Delhi.
The West Bengal Migrant Labour Welfare Board has also decided to back the family in the High Court.
'This is happening every day. Since they speak Bengali, our migrant labourers and their families are being targeted as illegal Bangladeshis. We plan to approach the court. We will help the family file a habeas corpus petition. We will appeal to the court to intervene and bring the family back to India and present them in front of the court,' said Samirul Islam, chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Labour Welfare Board.
Earlier, Delhi Police had told The Indian Express that Danish Sheikh and his family were deported to Bangladesh after proper verification 'at the local police level first and a thorough interrogation by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office'. Delhi Police claimed that Danish and his family hail from Bagerhat in Bangladesh. Last month, seven persons from West Bengal, including a couple, who were pushed into Bangladesh after being detained by Maharashtra Police over suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi migrants were brought back following the intervention of West Bengal government and police.
Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting.
Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More
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