‘Cleared SIR, voted’: Woman moves High Court after husband detained over illegal Bangladesh immigrant suspicion

Thirty-four year-old Dejina Bibi last saw her husband on August 8 when the Raninagar police picked him up from Murshidabad late at night on suspicion of being an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant.

Sahidul Sk, a farmer, lived with his wife and three children at Dubapara village in Murshidabad. His relatives said that his father lived there.

According to his family, Sahidul has been in custody of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer since August 8.

“Till date we do not have any of the police documents after his detention. The police have not told us anything or handed over any documents like the arrest memo or the seizure list,” his legal counsel Advocate Bapi Mondal told The Indian Express.

Dejina Bibi has also moved the Calcutta High Court alleging that her husband had been detained illegally, with the police alleging he is a Bangladeshi.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dejina Bibi, a housewife said, “How did he suddenly become a Bangladeshi? During the SIR exercise, we had submitted all documents and they were cleared. We also cast our votes in the Assembly elections earlier this year. What does it mean that we are not citizens of this country? Now suddenly after elections, they detain him.”

She still remembers the night when the police had come to their doorstep. “Around midnight there was a knock on the door. It was the police. They asked for my husband and his documents. We gave all the documents and my husband was asked to go with them. Next morning, I, along with some family members, went to the police station and inquired about him.”

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“The police did not answer our queries. They did not tell us where he was or what happened. He wasn’t even produced in a court. I waited there for three to four hours. I have been going there everyday.”

Dejina Bibi said that she receives the monthly aid under Annapurna Bhandar and that they need government aid to build their house. She further stated that from PAN card, Aadhaar card, to marriage certificate, all documents were given. “His name is on the electricity bill, the panchayat portal, he has a property registered in his name. He is not a Bangladeshi as is being alleged. He is an Indian, and now we have to prove it.”

She said after Sahidul’s detention, life has been hard for them.

“My children, the eldest being my daughter, have appeared for Class 12 exam while the younger two boys refuse to go to school or eat properly. They just cry for their father. He was the only breadwinner and I want my husband back.”

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The fields that they owned where her husband used to work have been washed away in the recent floods. “He was a farmer. At times, he would do other jobs as well. Now there is no earning member, my children are too young to work,” Bibi said.

The matter was heard in the single-judge bench when Justice Saugata Bhattacharya ordered the state to hand over Sahidul’s detention or arrest memo to his legal counsel and directed Raninagar police to file an affidavit within a fortnight stating the basis of the detention. Murshidabad SP, who is also the FRO, has been ordered to file a report within 10 days disclosing all the steps which have been taken by the state. The matter will be heard on October 8.

His legal counsel Robiul Islam said, “The detainee is an Indian national. He has all valid documents i.e, voter card, Aadhaar card, pan card, deed, ration card and other documents. His elder daughter is studying in class 12. Without any proceedings or investigation, he has been detained on suspicion since 08.08.2026. This is a clear violation of human rights.”

The allegations made by the State counsel are that Sahidul had illegally crossed over from Bangladesh and settled in India.

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According to the submission of the state, Sahidul had voluntarily admitted that he had illegally crossed the border from Bangladesh into India long back and fraudulently represented himself as the son of a deceased local resident and illegally obtained forged identity credentials.

The court observed in its order, “From submissions made on behalf of State respondents it is not clear as to whether such admission was made before the concerned police authority or Superintendent of Police-cum-Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO). However, it is submitted that one Sub-Inspector of Police interrogated the petitioner’s husband.”