Delhi HC asks Centre, AAP govt about measures taken to track antecedents of 'abducted' Bangladeshi youth

The Delhi High Court asked Centre, AAP government, and the police about their efforts to track down the antecedents of three Bangladeshi youths, who were allegedly kidnapped and brought to India in March and now want to return home.

Justice Prathiba M Singh has given notice to the ministries of home and foreign affairs, the Bangladesh High Commission, the Delhi government, the Border Security Force, and the police, requesting their position on the three youths', one of whom is a minor, request to be returned home.

The court on Monday ordered that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) be added to the case as a party and issued a notice, reports the Outlook India.

It ordered all authorities to submit their status reports by 5 May, the next hearing date.

According to the petition filed on their behalf, the three youths went to see the Indo-Bangladesh border on 4 March, 2021, with an acquaintance who gave them food to eat when they got close to the border.

The three lost consciousness after consuming the food and awoke on a platform of the New Delhi Railway Station on 10 March, according to the petition, which was filed by lawyers Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, Ritu Maity, and Abhishek Anand.

According to the petition, the three of them then went to the nearby Kamla Market Police Station and told their story, after which the officers gave them some money for food, and they were later moved to a homeless night shelter.

It has also said that with the help of a social activist, Sunil Kumar Aledia, they made representations to the Bangladesh High Commission and government agencies of India and Bangladesh, but they received no response.

Besides their safe return home, the plea has sought that they should not be arrested for lack of passport or visa and be provided food and shelter till they are sent back to Bangladesh.