Supreme Court Refuses Interim Relief to Rohingya Immigrants, Allows Deportation to Myanmar As per Procedure Prescribed

New Delhi, April 8: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed deportation of about 150 Rohingyas, reportedly detained in a Jammu jail, to their parent country Myanmar. The apex court, however, said the Rohingya refugees should be deported only after the procedure prescribed is followed. The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramaniam. Minorities in Myanmar Borderlands Face Fresh Fear Since Coup.

"It is not possible to grant the interim relief. However it is made clear that the Rohingyas in Jammu on whose behalf the application has been moved shall not be deported unless the procedure prescribed for such deportation is followed," the top court said. A plea seeking immediate release of detained Rohingya refugees in Jammu was filed by Mohammad Salimullah, a Rohingya refugee, through advocate Prashant Bhushan. J-K: Nearly Two Dozen Shanties Housing Rohingyas Gutted in Fire.

"It (petition) is filed in the public interest, in order to secure and protect the right against deportation of the petitioner refugees in India and to protect Constitutional guarantees under Article 14 and Article 21, read with Article 51(c) of the Constitution of India, against the deportation of Rohingya refugees who have taken refuge in India after escaping widespread violence, bloodshed and discrimination against their community in their home State of Myanmar", said the plea.

During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan underlined atrocities Rohingyas may face if they were deported to Myanmar. He urged the top court not to deport the Rohingyas back to Myanmar. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the Rohingya, who had fled persecution in Myanmar to India, were deported only after confirmation of their nationality from the government of that country.

"India is not the capital of the immigrants of the world," Mehta submitted. "The fear is that once they are deported, they may get slaughtered. But we cannot stop it," the Supreme Court had observed. Myanmar is currently under the military rule following ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2021 03:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).