Supreme Court Demands Answers on Alleged Mishandling of Migrant Workers

The Supreme Court on Thursday called upon the Centre and nine states, including Delhi, to respond to allegations concerning the illegal detention and mistreatment of Indian migrant workers. These allegations have surfaced as state authorities intensify their efforts to identify Bangladeshi immigrants across the country.

A bench comprised of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi delivered the notice following Advocate Prashant Bhushan's submissions, which highlighted the detentions as a violation of the Foreigners Act. The Court suggested establishing a mechanism to verify whether detained individuals are legitimate workers or immigrants through verification of their origin and work details.

This legal challenge was presented by the West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board. It follows reports of police actions across several states, which included the arrest of five individuals by Delhi Police suspected of being Bangladeshi immigrants. The court asked the authorities to address this issue within a week.

In a separate incident, ten Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended in Gurugram. According to the police, identification documents confirmed these individuals' nationalities, prompting officials to initiate deportation procedures.

The urgency of the Supreme Court's involvement underscores the complex issues surrounding immigration enforcement and labor rights in India as authorities work to differentiate between legitimate migrant workers and illegal immigrants.

(With inputs from agencies.)