Guwahati: The Meghalaya government has designated the MBOSE hostel at Laitumkhrah in Shillong as a temporary detention and holding centre for foreign nationals who have completed their prison terms but are awaiting deportation.
The Home (Political) Department issued the notification on September 17 after the Meghalaya High Court rejected a proposal to use a building in Nongstoin for the purpose, according to a status report submitted before the court on Monday.
The development came during the hearing of a suo motu case concerning the prolonged detention of foreign nationals in Meghalaya’s prisons. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh directed the state government to shift 30 foreign nationals to the newly designated facility by September 28.
The court directed that the foreign nationals be transferred to the temporary detention centre at the MBOSE hostel at the earliest and no later than September 28, noting that the necessary facilities were largely in place.
Following the court’s direction, the Inspector General of Prisons and Correctional Services instructed the heads of all district jails to begin transferring foreign inmates who have completed their sentences but continue to remain in custody to Shillong.
According to the status report, the MBOSE hostel is a G+2 building with six dormitories and a capacity of 60 beds. The facility will be supported by 26 administrative and guarding personnel, eight security personnel and a platoon stationed at the gates and watchtowers.
The arrangements also include a medical officer and three medical staff, 26 CCTV cameras, fire-safety equipment and necessary office infrastructure. Photographs of the facility were submitted to the High Court.
During the September 21 hearing, the court was informed that deportation orders had already been issued in four cases and that steps were being taken to facilitate the repatriation of those individuals.
The matter was brought before the bench by the SP (Traffic), who is currently holding additional charge as SP-cum-Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO), as FRO Shillong Vivek Syiem is on medical leave. FRRO Kolkata Nidhi Rani also appeared through video conference, along with the Commissioner and Secretary of the Home (Political) Department.
The High Court will also consider the cases of five foreign nationals – two from Myanmar, two from Nigeria and one from Bangladesh , who have remained in custody for more than five years.
The bench directed the state government and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to submit details on how compensation could be provided to foreign nationals who have remained in detention beyond the period of their respective sentences.
The case is scheduled to be heard next on September 28.