Reported by: Mrinal Banik
Agartala: The Tripura High Court has modified the sentences of four Bangladeshi nationals convicted in separate cases of illegal entry into India and directed the state authorities to repatriate them to Bangladesh after the state government expressed no objection to their deportation.
A single bench of Justice T Amarnath Goud passed the orders on Monday while disposing of three criminal appeals.
In Crl A(J) 48 of 2026, the court dealt with an appeal filed by Ratilal Das and his wife, Binita Rani Das, residents of Moulvibazar district in Bangladesh. They had challenged their conviction and sentence imposed by the Sessions Judge, Unakoti, Kailashahar, on November 1, 2025.
According to the prosecution, a BSF patrol team apprehended 16 people, including 13 Bangladeshi nationals and three Indian nationals suspected of acting as touts, near Srirampur Manu Bridge on February 27, 2025.
The couple allegedly admitted that they were Bangladeshi nationals and had entered India without valid passports or other travel documents.
The Sessions Court convicted them under Section 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, read with Rule 6 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, and Section 14A(b) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
They were sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 each under the Foreigners Act, besides a fine of Rs 5,000 each under the Passport Act.
Their counsel sought reduction of the sentences, submitting that they had remained in custody since their arrest, had not concealed their identities and had pleaded guilty.
The other two appeals, Crl A(J) 49 and 50 of 2026, were filed by Lija and Mansura Aktar, respectively.
The two women were convicted by the Sessions Judge, Dhalai, Ambassa, on June 4, 2025, under Section 336(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3(3) of the Passport (Entry into India) Act.
They had each been sentenced to five years’ simple imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 under the BNS provision, and two years’ simple imprisonment with a Rs 10,000 fine under the Passport Act.
According to the prosecution, Lija and another woman were detained during checking at Ambassa railway station on October 6, 2024, after they allegedly failed to give satisfactory answers about their presence there.
During questioning, they allegedly disclosed that they were Bangladeshi nationals and had entered India without valid passports or visas.
Both women had pleaded guilty before the trial court.
During the appeals, their counsel sought reduction of the sentences to the periods already undergone or their repatriation to Bangladesh.
Public Prosecutor Raju Datta opposed reduction of the sentences, submitting that the appellants had entered India illegally and remained in custody since their arrest.
The High Court sought the state’s position on their deportation. The Public Prosecutor placed before the court a September 17 communication from the Tripura Home Department stating that the government had no objection to the convicted persons being pushed back to Bangladesh instead of being kept in jail to serve the remaining sentences.
The court noted that there were no previous criminal antecedents against the appellants and said a lenient view could be taken as the offences were their first.
The High Court accordingly modified the sentences in all three appeals to the periods already undergone and waived the remaining terms of imprisonment.
It directed the state authorities to take necessary steps for their repatriation to Bangladesh in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
The court also ordered that the four persons would remain in jail custody until their repatriation but would not be treated as convicts during that period.