The Karnataka High Court has stayed the deportation of a Muslim man who claims he is an Indian citizen after authorities identified him as a ‘Bangladeshi national’. The court directed officials to verify his identity and examine all relevant records before taking further action.
Abdul Rahim, 47, has remained in detention since March after officials identified him as an undocumented Bangladeshi citizen. He challenged the action before the high court, stating that he was born in Seemapuri, Delhi, in 1979 and has lived in India throughout his life.
Hearing the petition, Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed the Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Bengaluru to conduct a detailed verification of Rahim’s identity. The court also asked authorities to determine whether he is the same person involved in an earlier case under the Foreigners Act, which remains pending before the Allahabad High Court.The court ordered that Rahim should not be deported until the issue is clarified.
Rahim informed the court that he shifted to Bengaluru in 2014 and established a government registered waste management business with GST registration. His lawyer submitted several documents in support of his citizenship claim, including a birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter identity card, driving licence and family records.
His legal team said the action violated his constitutional rights under Articles 14, 21 and 22.