The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of six districts in the Santhal Pargana Division over the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration.
The court warned that contempt proceedings would be initiated against any DC if a single case of infiltration is detected in their district.
The High Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Syed Daniyal Danish, raising concerns about the alleged infiltration of Bangladeshis into Jharkhand.
During the hearing, the court expressed surprise at the reports submitted by the DCs of six districts—Godda, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahibganj, and Pakur—who have denied any infiltration in their areas.
The court's warning came after Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing virtually on behalf of the Centre, highlighted that the decline in the tribal population in Santhal Pargana due to Bangladeshi infiltrators is a significant issue.
He stated that the Central Government is examining the matter in consultation with security agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Border Security Force (BSF).
The Solicitor General requested the court to remove the IB as a respondent in the case, citing the need for confidentiality in certain sensitive matters. However, he assured the court that relevant information from the IB would be included in the Central Government’s report.
The court acknowledged the Solicitor General’s plea and set the next hearing date for September 12.
The court also emphasised the seriousness of the infiltration issue, warning that if unchecked, intruders could use Jharkhand as a gateway to other Indian states, affecting their populations.
The state government, represented by Advocate Rajiv Ranjan, and the central government, represented by Senior Advocate Anil Kumar, presented their arguments during the hearing.
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