A new writ petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court, alleging that 43 Rohingya refugees were detained by police and forcibly deported to Myanmar via Port Blair by the Indian government.
According to a report by Live Law, the petition claims that the group—comprising women, children, and elderly individuals—was left stranded in international waters.
The matter is being reviewed by a Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta, and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, who are currently hearing cases concerning the deportation and living conditions of Rohingya refugees.
During a hearing on May 8, it was brought to the court’s attention that, on the night of May 7, a group of refugees holding valid UNHCR cards had been arrested and deported, even though the case was listed before the court, TNIE reported.
However, the court did not issue any interim orders and scheduled the next hearing for July 31.
In the meantime, two Rohingya refugees based in Delhi have filed a fresh Public Interest Litigation (PIL), alleging that members of their group were detained by the Delhi police under the guise of collecting biometric data.
The petition claims that those detained were later transferred to various police stations and eventually flown to Port Blair. There, they were allegedly forced onto naval ships with their hands tied and blindfolded.
The group included women, children, and elderly individuals, and the petition asserts that they were abandoned in international waters. According to Live Law, the refugees had to swim to a nearby shoreline, which turned out to be Myanmar.
The petitioners also alleged that children were separated from their mothers and families were torn apart during the deportation process.
Among other requests, the petitioners urged the Supreme Court to direct the Union of India to refrain from arresting or detaining Rohingya refugees who possess valid UNHCR cards. They called for the refugees to be treated with dignity and respect, and for their human rights to be fully protected.
The petition also sought a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for each deported Rohingya individual and the resumption of issuing residency permits to UNHCR cardholders in line with India's Domestic Refugee Policy.