PIL on 'detention' of Bengali-speaking migrant workers: SC seeks response of Centre, states
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a PIL which alleged that Bengali-speaking migrant workers are been detained on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, however, refused to pass any interim order with regard to the detention, saying any order will have consequences especially with respect to people, who genuinely came from across the borders.
"States where these migrant workers are working have the right to inquire from their state of origin about their bonafide but the problem is in the interregnum. If we pass any interim orders, then it will have consequences, especially those who have illegally come from across the border and need to be deported under the law," the bench said.
It asked advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner West Bengal Migrant Welfare Board, to wait for sometime for the responses from the Centre and nine states–Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and West Bengal.
Bhushan alleged that people are being harassed by the states just because they speak Bengali language and have documents in that language on the basis of a circular issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
"They are being detained while an inquiry is being held about their bonafide and in some cases, they are even tortured. Kindly pass some interim order that no detention will be held. I have no problem with enquiries but there should not be any detention," Bhushan submitted.
The bench said some mechanism needs to be developed to ensure that genuine citizens are not harassed.
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Six foreign nationals held for alleged prostitution in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Six foreign women were arrested after they were found to be allegedly engaged in illegal activities by soliciting men in a public place for prostitution, police said on Tuesday.
The arrests were made by the Women Protection Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on April 24, they said.
Police, however, have not disclosed the nationalities of the women in the statement.
According to police, the operation was carried out following a tip off that some foreign women were standing near the footpath of the bus stop close to Madiwala Check Post, within the jurisdiction of Koramangala Police Station here and were soliciting men passing by on the road for prostitution.
Based on this information, the officers and staff of the CCB Women Protection Wing immediately visited the spot and conducted a verification, they said.
During the operation, it was found that six foreign women were engaging in illegal activities by soliciting men in a public place for prostitution, a statement issued by the office of the police commissioner stated.
Acting swiftly, the officers and staff conducted a raid and secured all six foreign women. Upon inquiry regarding their passports and visas, they failed to provide valid and satisfactory information, it said.
"Subsequently, all six foreign women were produced before the Koramangala Police Station along with a report for further legal action. In this regard, a case has been registered at Koramangala Police Station, and further investigation is in progress," the police statement added.
