Political Tensions Rise Over Alleged Deportation of Women Ahead of Nagaon Bypoll

The alleged deportation of two women from Nagaon to Bangladesh has become a contentious issue in Assam's political landscape as the Nagaon bypoll nears. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has urged the Centre to intervene, while the families of the women seek to avoid politicization of their plight. The case, rooted in a Foreigners Tribunal ruling, has drawn attention from the Gauhati High Court, which criticized the handling of the situation. As political parties engage in the debate, the families are focused on finding their loved ones, raising concerns about the implications of this case on the upcoming elections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 4, 2026, 15:13 IST

Political Controversy Surrounding Deportation Case

AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal (left) and APCC president Gaurav Gogoi. (Photo Credit)

Guwahati, Oct 4: The reported deportation of two women from Nagaon to Bangladesh has sparked significant political debate as the October 6 Nagaon bypoll approaches. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has called for intervention from the Centre, while the son of one of the women has urged political entities to refrain from exploiting the situation for political gain.

In a letter addressed to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Gogoi has requested immediate action to locate and return Jahanara Begum from Bagariguri and Mumtaz Begum from Dhing Gaon, who he claims were unlawfully sent across the India-Bangladesh border.

Gogoi's correspondence, dated October 2, states that the women were allegedly deported through Gate No. 2 near Border Pillar No. 1339/MP during the night of June 13-14, 2026, and their current whereabouts remain unknown.

The situation traces back to proceedings at the Foreigners Tribunal in Nagaon, where both women were declared foreigners in 2019. They subsequently challenged this ruling in the Gauhati High Court.

In April 2026, the High Court overturned the tribunal's decisions, remanding the cases for reconsideration, citing inadequate evaluation of evidence, as noted in Gogoi's letter.

Following the High Court's instructions, Jahanara appeared before the tribunal on May 29, and Mumtaz on May 30. Gogoi alleges that both women were detained shortly thereafter, hindering their ability to seek new tribunal opinions and appeal to the High Court.

The developments were later scrutinized by the Gauhati High Court, which issued orders on September 3.

In Mumtaz's case, the court noted that the tribunal had “deliberately and willfully delayed” providing a certified copy of its opinion, establishing a case of “malice in law,” according to Gogoi's letter.

“The Court further determined that the State machinery effectively obstructed her right to appeal to the High Court. Similar conclusions were reached in Jahanara Begum's case,” the letter elaborated.

The High Court also reviewed the expulsion orders issued by the District Commissioner of Nagaon on June 2, which directed the women to leave India within 24 hours, despite them being in state custody.

In Mumtaz's situation, the court labeled the order as “farcical,” asserting that compliance was not feasible under the circumstances, as per the letter.

Gogoi highlighted that the High Court had instructed the Ministry of External Affairs to be involved in the case to help locate the women in Bangladesh and facilitate their return to India for legal recourse.

As the case intertwines with the Nagaon bypoll campaign, Mumtaz's son has appealed to political parties to prioritize finding his mother over politicizing the issue.

He urged both Congress and AIUDF to assist in locating her.

“AIUDF members have inquired about my mother and expressed the need to find her. However, Congress representatives have not reached out, and I implore them not to politicize my mother’s situation. We just want to know where she is,” he stated to the media.

He also expressed a wish to meet Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP candidate Devashish Sharma, believing they could help locate his mother.

Sharma was the District Commissioner of Nagaon when the expulsion order against Mumtaz was issued.

The issue has led to a public dispute between Sharma and AIUDF leader Badaruddin Ajmal.

On Saturday, Sharma criticized Ajmal's comments regarding Mumtaz and filed a police report against him.

“We have lodged an FIR against him and will ensure appropriate action is taken,” Sharma stated, emphasizing that the pushback operations were conducted in compliance with court orders and that government officials must adhere to judicial directives.

Ajmal had claimed that Begum was “encountered,” prompting Sharma to caution against the casual use of such terminology. He accused the AIUDF leader of making the statement to distract from the election campaign.

On September 21, Ajmal announced plans to approach the Supreme Court regarding the alleged deportation of the two women from Assam’s Juria to Bangladesh.

During an election rally in Nagaon, Ajmal criticized Sharma, alleging that the women were deported while Sharma was serving as Nagaon Deputy Commissioner. He also accused the BJP government of targeting Muslims selectively during eviction operations in the state.