W.B. Man Detained as Illegal Immigrant in Bengaluru; Family Seeks SHRC Help

Swift Summary

• Bandepalya police detained Rafikul Biswas, a 30-year-old private school van driver, alleging he is an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant; he is currently held at the Foreigners’ Detention Center in Nelamangala awaiting deportation to Bangladesh.
• Biswas’s family claims he hails from Dhananjoypur, West Bengal and has lived in Bengaluru for 10 years with his wife and child while working as a school van driver.
• His wife presented identification documents including Voter ID, Aadhaar card, and a certificate from police in Dhananjoypur confirming his residency but alleges these were rejected by authorities as fake.
• She also claimed that police demanded ₹10,000 as bribe for medical and transportation expenses for Mr. Biswas’ detention-she paid this amount but faced continued rejection of evidence supporting her husband’s identity.
• The family filed a petition with the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) seeking an independent inquiry into alleged illegal detention and extortion while demanding his release.
• Police said Biswas was detained following a report by the Internal Security Division (ISD),suggesting that the family could present their documentation to dispute this with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
• Activist R. kaleemullah criticized what he said was harassment of migrant workers from West bengal on suspicions of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants despite valid identification documents like voter IDs or certificates from hometown officials.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The case raises significant concerns about procedural adherence in identifying unauthorized immigrants versus legitimate citizens within India’s borders. While ensuring national security through proper immigration oversight is critically important, allegations of improper detention demand thorough scrutiny-not only to protect individual rights but also to maintain public trust in law enforcement processes.

The broader implications revolve around potential bias against internal migrants who hail from bordering states like West Bengal-a point amplified by claims made by activists about targeting legitimate residents under suspicion due to their linguistic or cultural similarities with neighboring populations like Bangladeshis.

This situation highlights both practical challenges such as verifying identity through fragmented databases across state lines and ethical considerations involving openness and accountability during detentions under immigration laws. A fair resolution guided strictly by documented proof combined with independent inquiries into bribery allegations could help standardize practices while protecting civic rights against arbitrary actions.

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