HC pulls up state, centre over illegal immigrants

The Bombay high court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Union and the state government for having no policy in place to deal with illegal migrants and failing to deport them to their own countries.

The Bombay high court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Union and the state government for having no policy in place to deal with illegal migrants and failing to deport them to their own countries.

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“This is a matter with wide ramification on national security,” the division bench of justice AM Khanwilkar and justice AR Joshi said, adding, “How can you [state authorities] allow a person to remain in India by simply registering a bailable offence. By not deporting the person, you are giving him a licence to stay here and mix with the citizens.”

The judges directed advocate general Darius Khambata to appear in the matter on the next date of hearing – August 6 – to apprise them about the state policy for dealing with cases of illegal immigrants.

The court was hearing a petition by a Pakistani national Siraj Khan, resident of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him under various sections of the Passport Act and Foreigners Act, and direction to the authorities to deport him to his native place – Manesara in PoK along with his family.