Acting on a suo-motu public-interest case, a division bench of the Meghalaya High Court on 22 September directed the state to move around 30 foreign nationals—who have completed their prison terms but remain incarcerated—to a newly notified temporary detention centre in Shillong by 28 September. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere observed that prolonged post-sentence custody violated both domestic law and international human-rights norms. The court was informed that the MBOSE Hostel at Laitumkhrah has been converted into a 60-bed facility with CCTV coverage, medical staff and fire-safety equipment. Officials from the state Home Department and the Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO) appeared via video link and confirmed that deportation orders had been issued in four cases. Five detainees—two Myanmar, two Nigerian and one Bangladeshi national—have languished in jail for more than five years awaiting repatriation. Practical implications: India’s north-east sees recurring detention backlogs because many neighbouring countries take months to issue emergency travel documents. By insisting on a dedicated civil facility, the High Court aligns Meghalaya with Supreme Court guidelines that bar mixing of immigration detainees with criminal convicts. Employers posting foreign workers to border states should ensure their staff’s documentation remains valid; overstay can lead to extended detention even after fines are paid. The bench also asked the state to frame modalities for compensating detainees held beyond their sentences, signalling potential financial exposure for governments that fail to process deportations promptly.
Source: Hindustan Times
