Contempt plea admitted in Calcutta HC over delay in bringing back Sunali Khatun, five others

Kolkata: The contempt plea filed by the family of pregnant migrant worker Sunali Khatun and five others was accepted by the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday.

A division bench, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobrata Kumar Mitra, instructed the Centre to reply by November end the issue of bringing back to India Sunali and five others who are currently lodged in a jail in Bangladesh’s Chapai Nawabgunj.

The Calcutta High Court had on September 26 directed the Centre to ensure their repatriation within four weeks, setting aside the Centre's decision to deport Sunali Khatun, Danish and Sabir Shek and three others from West Bengal to Bangladesh in June this year.

The HC had held that the deportation was illegal and rejected the Centre’s plea seeking to defer the order.

Danish Sekh, Sunali Khatun and their minor son hail from Paikar village under Muraroi police station of Birbhum district in Bengal. Along with Sunali’s family, Sweety, Kurban and Imam were also deported to Bangladesh.

Sunali’s father Bhodu Shek claimed that Danish and his family have been living in Delhi for more than 20 years. Sunali’s six-year-old daughter is staying in Paikar village for the last six months.