Meghalaya High Court Orders Transfer of Foreign Nationals to Detention Centre
Court Directs Transfer of Foreign Nationals
A file image of Meghalaya High Court (Photo: Meghalaya High Court/meta)
Shillong, September 22: The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the state government to relocate all foreign nationals who have completed their prison sentences to a temporary detention facility by September 28.
This directive was issued by a division bench led by Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh during a hearing regarding the detention of foreign nationals post their prison terms.
The bench requested information from the state and the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) regarding the procedures for compensating foreign nationals who remained incarcerated despite serving their sentences.
As per the status report from the state government, approximately 30 foreign nationals have finished their sentences but are still in custody.
The court expressed dissatisfaction with a previous proposal to use a building in Nongstoin and instead approved the MBOSE Hostel in Laitumkhrah, Shillong, as the temporary holding centre.
This three-storey hostel features around 60 beds distributed across six dormitories, which is deemed adequate for the current number of foreign nationals in custody, according to the report.
The detention centre will be equipped with necessary security measures, administrative staff, medical personnel, CCTV surveillance, and fire safety systems.
Nidhi Rani from the FRRO in Kolkata, who attended via video link, informed the court that deportation orders have been issued in four cases, and efforts are underway for their repatriation.
She assured the court that appropriate actions would be taken for other foreign nationals who have completed their sentences but remain incarcerated.
The court learned that among the detainees, two are from Myanmar, two from Nigeria, and one is a Bangladeshi national who has been in custody for over five years.
The case is scheduled for further proceedings on September 28, with instructions for the relevant officers to appear either in person or via video conferencing.