MARKET STRUCTURE · REGULATORY · INDIA
Calcutta High Court orders prisoner released, repatriated
Change
On March 5, 2026, the Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate release and repatriation of a Bangladeshi man held in custody for over 21 years after being arrested as a minor for illegal entry into India.
Why it matters
A Calcutta High Court division bench ordered the man to be set free forthwith and directed the State to make efforts for his repatriation to Bangladesh. The court noted the maximum punishment for a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is seven years. The man was arrested on February 8, 2005, and has been in custody since February 2005. An enquiry report submitted by the additional district and sessions judge, Basirhat, including an ossification test, determined he is 36 years old at present and was a minor at the time of arrest.
Implications
- • State prison authorities must process release from custody under the order.
- • State officials must initiate repatriation steps to Bangladesh.
Who is affected
- • Prison and detention administrators
- • State officials handling repatriation and custody transfers
- • Appellate and trial court judges applying juvenile-justice sentencing limits
Source
Topics
World & Politics Migration Law & Public Safety Court Rulings Criminal Justice