The Kerala High Court has issued a sharp directive to the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) authorities, demanding a detailed statement by Thursday regarding the controversial deportation and subsequent disappearance of a migrant worker. The court is probing the circumstances under which Suraj Lama, who was deported from Kuwait with severe health problems, went missing after arriving in Kochi.
Court's Stern Warning to Airport Authorities
The bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and M B Snehalatha made it clear that if CIAL failed to provide information received from central government and intelligence agencies about Lama's deportation, the court would consider taking necessary action against the concerned authorities. The hearing was based on a habeas corpus petition filed by Santon Lama, the missing man's son, desperately seeking to locate his father.
The Troubling Timeline of Disappearance
Suraj Lama had been working in Kuwait for several years before a medical crisis struck. He was hospitalized with acute toxic leukoencephalopathy, a brain disorder caused by alcohol poisoning from consuming toxic liquor. This condition reportedly led to memory loss and disorientation.
His ordeal took a baffling turn upon his return to India. He was deported to Kochi on October 5. After his arrival, he was seen at various locations in and around the city. Shockingly, he was allegedly taken into custody by the Thrikkakara police on October 8 and later admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery. Since that admission, his whereabouts have remained completely unknown.
Judicial Scrutiny of Procedural Lapses
During the hearing on Wednesday, the High Court made several critical oral observations. The judges pointed out that since Lama is a native of Bengaluru, he should have been deported directly there, not to Kochi. The court also noted a major procedural failure: despite being deported from a foreign country, he was cleared by both CIAL and the immigration department without any apparent doubt or verification.
The government pleader presented a conflicting detail, stating that the airport manager had been informed by central intelligence at the time of Lama's arrival that the man did not possess proper cognitive capacity. The HC, however, stated this was a separate matter to be addressed later, focusing first on the immediate issue of his disappearance. The petition has been adjourned to Thursday for the filing of CIAL's statement and pleadings.
