Over 1.16 lakh declared foreign nationals yet to be apprehended in Assam: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has noted that 1,16,946 declared foreign nationals in Assam are yet to be apprehended and expelled, describing the situation as a “very grim picture” in terms of the expulsion of foreigners from the state.

The observation was made by a Division Bench of Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Mridul Kumar Kalita while dismissing a writ petition related to the expulsion of a declared foreign national on November 10.

In its order, the Bench referred to an affidavit filed by the Assam government, which stated that 1,16,946 declared foreign nationals were yet to be apprehended and expelled as of June 30, 2026.

The petition was filed by Hamida Begum, a resident of Charaideo district, who was declared an illegal foreign national by a Foreigners Tribunal in December 2018.

Begum had challenged the tribunal's decision before the Gauhati High Court, which dismissed her petition in October 2020. She subsequently approached the Supreme Court, which rejected her plea in November 2025. Her review petition was also dismissed by the apex court in March 2026.

She was lodged at the transit camp in Goalpara but was released on bail after completing three years in detention, in accordance with the law laid down by the Supreme Court. The High Court noted that she had regularly appeared before the concerned police station after her release but was taken into custody again during one such appearance.

Her counsel subsequently sought her release on bail. However, the High Court observed that Begum had exhausted all available legal remedies against the Foreigners Tribunal's order and that the state was now contemplating her expulsion.

The Bench further noted that the state had taken necessary steps for her expulsion and held that the writ petition was not maintainable and that she was not entitled to bail.