Assam Told to Pay ₹2 Lakh Compensation for Illegally Deporting Woman to Bangladesh The Gauhati High Court has ordered Assam to pay Mumtaz Begum ₹2 lakh in interim compensation after she was deported to Bangladesh without any chance to challenge a Foreigners Tribunal order that declared her a foreigner, a decision believed to be the first of its kind against the state. The Gauhati High Court has ordered the Assam government to hand over ₹2 lakh in interim compensation to a Muslim woman of Bengali origin who was sent across the border into Bangladesh before she could contest a ruling that had branded her a foreigner. A Rare Order Against the State Legal observers believe this is the first time a court has penalised the state financially for pushing someone into Bangladesh in a manner that breaches established deportation procedure. The case reached the High Court after relatives of the woman, identified as Mumtaz Begum, filed a habeas corpus petition once they discovered she had already been sent out of the country. A Division Bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund examined how the Nagaon Foreigners Tribunal had dealt with her matter, and remarked that the record itself pointed to what it called "malice in law" on the tribunal's part. How the Tribunal Case Unfolded Begum's file had already been before the High Court once before. The court had earlier found that the tribunal did not weigh all the evidence she had submitted, and had sent the matter back for a fresh look. It was only after this second round of proceedings that the tribunal, on May 30, declared her a foreign national. Arrested Before She Could Appeal The Bench found that Begum was never told about the May 30 verdict and was taken into custody shortly after it was passed, which meant she lost any real chance to move a higher court against the finding. Judges also flagged inconsistencies between what the tribunal judge and the police said about exactly when and how her arrest took place. In the Bench's assessment, it was the conduct of state authorities that stopped Begum from exercising her right to approach the High Court before she was deported. What the Court Has Ordered Along with the ₹2 lakh interim payment, which the Assam government has been given 60 days to release, the Bench clarified that Begum remains free to seek further compensation through a civil court. The Ministry of External Affairs has also been made a party to the case, with the Bench indicating it would ask the ministry to try to trace Begum in Bangladesh and arrange her return to India. Separately, the court has asked the Home and Political Department to look into exactly when the tribunal's May 30 order was actually drawn up, given the questions raised over its timing. To prevent a repeat of what happened to Begum, district Superintendents of Police have been instructed to make sure anyone declared a foreigner is informed of the tribunal's decision before being detained, and that an adult member of that person's family is told before they are removed from the district. What this means for you This order puts a real financial and legal cost on the state whenever a Foreigners Tribunal case goes wrong, and it changes how police must handle anyone declared a foreign national. • Across India: The ruling gives courts elsewhere a precedent to rely on when someone is deported without a fair chance to appeal a tribunal order, strengthening due-process protections nationwide. • In Assam: Police across every district must now inform a person declared a foreigner of the tribunal's order before detaining them, and must notify an adult family member before moving them out of the district. • For families with pending cases: Anyone facing Foreigners Tribunal proceedings in Assam should track hearing dates closely, since this case shows how fast someone can be arrested and deported once an order is passed. • For Mumtaz Begum: The state must pay ₹2 lakh within 60 days, she can still claim more compensation in civil court, and the Ministry of External Affairs has been asked to help trace and repatriate her from Bangladesh. Questions & Answers 1. How much compensation has the Assam government been ordered to pay? The Gauhati High Court has ordered Assam to pay Mumtaz Begum ₹2 lakh in interim compensation within 60 days. 2. Which court and judges heard the case? The case was heard by a Gauhati High Court Division Bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund. 3. When was the woman declared a foreigner? The Nagaon Foreigners Tribunal declared Mumtaz Begum a foreign national on May 30. 4. How did the case reach the High Court? Once her relatives learned she had already been sent to Bangladesh, they filed a habeas corpus petition. 5. What did the court say about the tribunal's conduct? The Bench said the record itself pointed to what it called "malice in law" on the tribunal's part. 6. Can Begum seek more compensation? Yes, the Bench said she remains free to seek further relief from a civil court. 7. What role will the Ministry of External Affairs play? The court has made the ministry a party to the case and said it would ask it to try to trace Begum in Bangladesh and arrange her return to India. 8. What steps have been ordered to prevent this from happening again? District Superintendents of Police must inform anyone declared a foreigner of the tribunal's order before detaining them, and notify an adult family member before removing them from the district. https://trendkia.com/en/assam/gauhati-high-court-ka-adesha-bangladesh-bheji-gai-mahila-ko-assam-sarakara-degi-2-lakha-rupaye-29076 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.