Husband's Plea Rejected as Police Cite Law
In Vadodara, the husband of a Bangladesh-born woman detained in Gujarat's Anand district has made a fervent appeal to authorities to stop her deportation. However, local police have made it clear that the case will be handled strictly in accordance with legal procedures.
Anand Superintendent of Police Gaurav Jasani stated that he has not received any formal representation in the matter. He maintained that the woman's detention and proposed deportation are being carried out in accordance with the law. "I have not received any appeal or application from any person. Even if such an application is received, police will act in keeping with the rules," Jasani told TOI. He added, "She has been detained in accordance with the rules and will be deported according to the process."
Background of the Case
The statement comes after Tarun Patel, a resident of Lambhvel village in Anand district, urged the state government not to deport his wife, identified as Kajal. Patel claimed she had adopted Hinduism after coming to India and could face danger if sent back to Bangladesh.
The case surfaced amid "Operation Delta Hunt", Gujarat Police's ongoing statewide drive against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. More than 600 Bangladeshi nationals have been detained across Gujarat this month. Among them is Kajal, who allegedly entered India illegally around a decade ago and later married Patel. According to her husband, the two met through Facebook in 2012-13 while she was living in Bangladesh and eventually fell in love.
Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
Patel has claimed that she was unable to obtain a passport despite efforts to travel legally and marry him. Facing pressure from her family to marry another person, she allegedly crossed into India illegally from Kolkata and eventually settled in Anand.
The couple subsequently married according to Hindu customs and have two children, aged eight and two. Patel said his wife adopted Hindu traditions and regularly visits temples after moving to India. He further claimed that Kajal is currently housed in a women's shelter home after being detained by the local crime branch. He said their children have been unable to meet her since she was taken into custody nearly two weeks ago.
Seeking humanitarian consideration, Patel said the family is willing to comply with any legal process required to regularise her status in India and appealed against her deportation, citing the welfare of their children. Patel said he has also hired a lawyer to file a petition in the Gujarat High Court to stop his wife's deportation.
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