‘Will accept court’s ruling’, says ex-Army man declared ‘foreigner’ in Assam

While Mohammad Sanaullah is expected to reunite with his wife, son and two daughters later on Saturday evening, the cloud hanging over his nationality has not lifted yet.

Updated on: Jun 8, 2019, 21:51:23 IST

HIndustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A retired Army veteran, who was declared a foreigner, walked out of a detention camp in Assam on Saturday—a day after the Gauhati high court granted him interim bail.

Mohammad Sanaullah (in blue shirt) with his wife Sanima Begun (extreme left) and two daughters at his home in Guwahati after his release from detention camp on Saturday. ((HT Photo))

Mohammad Sanaullah, who had served the Indian Army for 30 years before retiring in 2017 as a ‘Subedar’, was declared a non-citizen by a foreigners’ tribunal on May 23 and sent to detention camp six days later.

On Friday, acting on a petition filed by his family, a division bench of Gauhati HC granted interim bail to the 52-year-old subject to certain conditions.

The veteran was released on Saturday after furnishing a bail bond of ₹20,000 and two local sureties. “I am very thankful to the honourable high court. I have full faith in the judicial system and will accept whatever (final) judgement the court gives in my case,” Sanaullah told HT after returning to his home in Satgaon locality here .

While the court had ordered his release on interim bail, hearings on the request to quash the foreigners’ tribunal order, that pronounced him a non-citizen, will continue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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