The court rejects petitions seeking a return to the ballot system or to tally all paper slips generated as proof of voting for votes recorded by electronic machines
Indian rights group MASUM push for release of ten Bangladesh women
Manab Adhikar Suraksha Manch (MASUM), a human rights group based in West Bengal, has sought immediate release of 10 Bangladeshi women recently detained in the state.
Published : 23 Feb 2017, 06:17 AM
Updated : 23 Feb 2017, 06:24 AM
MASUM General Secretary Kirity Ray said in a media release that these ten women were detained on Dec 3 when on their way to Bangladesh border through Bithari Hakimpur under Swarupnagar police station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas District.
Eleven children were detained with these women, he said.
"They had been brought by traffickers to be employed in Gujarat State. They were on their way back to Bangladesh when they were arrested," Ray said.
He referred to an order by the Indian Home Ministry's Foreigner Division No. 14051/14/2011-F.VI of May 1, 2012 which says: "If the foreign victims of human trafficking are found without valid passport or visa and after investigation, if the woman or child is found to be a victim, she should not be prosecuted under the Foreigners Act.
"If the investigation reveals that she did not come to India or did not indulge in crime out of her own free will, the State Government / UT Administration may not file a charge sheet against the victim. If the charge sheet has already been filed under the Foreigners Act and other relevant laws of the land, steps may be taken to withdraw the case from prosecution."
But Kirity Ray said that a criminal case has been initiated against the ten women by Swarupnagar police.
He said they were brought to Sharapul Rural Hospital for mandatory medical examination and then produced before Basirhat additional chief judicial magistrate’s court.
"Though their remand for 14 days has now expired, these women are languishing in prison," said Ray.
He has sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission to ensure these women are released and send back to Bangladesh.
Name of victim | Name of victim's husband | Address | Names of minors accompanied |
Monira Begum, 25 | Monir Sheikh | Village: Terokhada District: Khulna | Simul Sheikh, 10 Mehrab Sheikh, 7 Mohini Sheikh, 3 |
Monika Begum, 40 | Harunbai Sheikh | Village: Passkoune District: Narail | Sumir Sheikh, 6 |
Rina Begum, 45 | Daud Sheikh | Village: Baupur District: Narail | Sultana Sheikh, 7 |
Tania Begum,19 | Simal Sheikh | Village: Peroli District: Narail | None |
Parveen Sheikh, 23 | Rasibul Sheikh | Village: Bander Char District: Narail | Harman Sheikh, 5 |
Rojina Sheikh, 26 | Najmul Sheikh | Village: Bander Char District: Narail | Najim Sheikh, 7 |
Rokeya Bibi, 60 | Ful Mia | Village: Chotokali District: Narail | None |
Hira Begum, 40 | Late Milan Sheikh | Village: Uttoli District: Jessore | None |
Firoza Begum | Talleb Sheikh | Village: Terokhada District: Khulna | None |
Afsana Sheikh | Robiul Sheikh | Village: Barput District: Narail | Amina Sheikh, 8 Sukur Sheikh, 6 Rakhi Sheikh, 3 Rahul Sheikh, 10 |
RELATED STORIES
The southern city of about 14 million people voted in the summer heat in the second phase of the world's largest election
Almost one billion people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase general elections that began on April 19 and concludes on June 1
India has 968 million voters, more than the populations of the United States, the European Union and Russia combined
