The Supreme Court on Friday said that the detenues in detention centres in Assam who have completed more than three years may be released.
In a major development, the apex court bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, however, said that their release would be on few conditions.
The top court in its order put conditions including execution of bond with two sureties of Rs 1, 00,000 each of Indian citizens, he or she specifies verifiable address of stay after release, biometric of his or her iris (if possible) and all ten fingerprints and photos shall be captured and stored in a secured database before release from the detention centres.
The court said he or she shall report once every week to the police station specified by the Foreigners Tribunal.
Further, he or she shall notify any change of his or her address to the specified Police Station on the same day and a quarterly report to be submitted by the Superintendent of Police (Border) to the Foreigners Tribunal regarding appearance of such released declared foreigner to concerned Police Station.
In case of violation of condition, the declared foreigners will be apprehended and produced before the Foreigners Tribunal.
The court was hearing on the petitions regarding the conditions of the detenues in tribunals in Assam.
Hearing the case, the court said, “We have heard learned counsels for the parties. In so far as the larger issue, namely, deportation of declared foreigners and setting up of additional Foreigners Tribunals in the State of Assam is concerned, upon hearing Tushar Mehta, learned solicitor general, appearing for the State of Assam, we are of the view that the State should be given some further time to indicate the progress made on the diplomatic level etc..
“Further, we would require from the State to place on record a detailed scheme, in consulation with the Gauhati High Court (on the administrative side), with regard to the constitution of Foreigners Tribunals including appointment of Members, staff etc.”
The court said that the said details shall be placed on record as soon as possible and if required, the state will be at liberty to make a mention of the matter before the vacation bench.
The matter will again come up for hearing in July.