Four migrant workers from Murshidabad who were detained in Chhattisgarh on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals have been released following intervention by the Calcutta High Court, ending more than a month of detention.
The four workers have been identified as Safiqul Islam, Sabir Sheikh, Nasiruddin Sheikh and Laltu Sheikh. They are residents of the Suti and Shamsherganj areas of Murshidabad and were among 23 migrant workers detained by Chhattisgarh Police on September 4.
The workers were released on Wednesday night, days after the High Court questioned the basis for their continued detention and the authority of officials to determine their citizenship while proceedings concerning the deletion of their names from West Bengal’s electoral rolls were pending.
23 Workers Detained in September
The case dates back to September 4, when Chhattisgarh Police detained 23 migrant workers from Murshidabad in the Bilaspur area.
The workers had travelled to Chhattisgarh for their livelihood and were engaged in itinerant vending and other informal work. According to their families, they had been living in the Chunchiyapara-Ganesh Nagar area under Sirgitti police station in Bilaspur district.
Relatives alleged that the workers produced identity documents, including voter identity cards, Aadhaar cards and PAN cards, when questioned about their nationality. They were subsequently taken to a detention or holding facility in Raipur.
Nineteen of the 23 workers were released on September 18 after spending around 15 days in custody. Reports at the time said authorities had verified the documents and identities of those released.
The remaining four continued to be detained, prompting their families to seek legal intervention.
High Court Questions Citizenship Determination
The families later approached the Calcutta High Court, arguing that the four men were long-standing residents of Murshidabad and that proceedings concerning the deletion of their names from the electoral rolls were already pending.
During the hearing on October 5, the High Court questioned how authorities could proceed with determining the nationality of the four workers while their appeals against deletion from the electoral rolls remained pending before the designated appellate forum.
Justice Krishna Rao questioned the role of the Foreigners Registration Officer and whether the authorities were effectively undertaking a separate citizenship determination while the electoral-roll proceedings were still unresolved.
The court also questioned whether the authorities were “playing with people” when an established mechanism was available to challenge the deletion of names from the electoral rolls.
The court’s observations became a key development in the case, with the workers subsequently being released by the Chhattisgarh authorities.
Samirul Islam Says Verification Report Was Sought
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam said the Chhattisgarh administration had sought a report from the Murshidabad District Magistrate to verify whether the four workers were residents of the district.
According to Islam, the required report was not provided, forcing the families to approach the Calcutta High Court.
“Twenty-three workers from Murshidabad district were arrested on suspicion of being ‘Bangladeshis’. Nineteen of them had been released earlier, but four remained in custody. Following the court’s intervention, the Chhattisgarh administration released them,” Islam said in a social media post.
He criticised the alleged delay in providing the verification report and said government officials had a responsibility to protect the rights and interests of residents.
“I wish to remind all government officials that protecting the rights and interests of citizens is part of their duty,” Islam wrote.
He said that when an administration from another state seeks information about a resident, the concerned district authorities should provide an accurate and fact-based response without political considerations.
Islam also thanked the judiciary for intervening in the matter, describing the development as a source of hope for the affected families.
