The Meghalaya high court on Monday ordered the state government to shift around 30 foreign nationals who have completed their prison sentences but remain incarcerated, to a temporary detention centre in Shillong by September 28, amid the court’s scrutiny of prolonged post-sentence detention.
Following the court’s direction, the inspector general of prisons and Correctional Services instructed district jail authorities to initiate the transfer of foreign nationals who completed their sentences but remain in custody to the Shillong facility. The court also directed the authorities, including the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, to extend necessary assistance to such prisoners for their deportation or repatriation, including approaching the Foreigners Registration Office where required. The court was also informed about five foreign nationals who have remained in custody for more than five years. They include two nationals of Myanmar, two Nigerians and one Bangladeshi.
The court was informed through a status report that the government notified the MBOSE Hostel at Laitumkhrah, Shillong, as a temporary detention centre on September 17 after an earlier proposal to use a building at Nongstoin was not accepted. The G+2 hostel has six dormitories and capacity for around 60 inmates.
Photographs of the facility were also placed before the court. The development follows earlier proceedings in which the high court questioned why details of foreign nationals continuing to remain in jails after completing their sentences had not been placed before it earlier. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice W Diengdoh issued the direction on Monday while hearing a suo motu matter concerning foreign nationals who completed their sentences but remained in custody pending deportation or repatriation.
