After three months, West Bengal court frees man detained on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national
A West Bengal court has ordered the release of 66-year-old Jalil Akhtar after he spent three months in detention on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national. Despite the state's opposition, authorities failed to prove his documents were invalid or that he was an illegal immigrant.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing tensions and legal complexities surrounding citizenship verification and detention processes in India's border regions.
A court in Uttar Dinajpur of West Bengal on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) ordered the release of Jalil Akhtar, 66, who was detained three months ago on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national
Mr. Akhtar, a resident of Uttar Dinajpur’s Bagroi village, was picked up by the Dalkhola Police on June 20 and was lodged in two holding centres in the following days. However, his family members alleged his detention was illegal as he possessed all valid documents of being an Indian citizen. His name was also included in the voter lists during the special intensive revision exercise in both 2002 and 2026.
TMC MP Samirul Islam seeks DGP’s intervention over alleged illegal detention of 66-year-old
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