By Team
West Bengal human rights group Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has approached the National Human Rights Commission of India, the Supreme Court of India and senior West Bengal authorities seeking an independent investigation into the alleged illegal detention, disputed identification as a Bangladeshi national, attempted push-back across the India-Bangladesh border and custodial ill-treatment of a 66-year-old man from Uttar Dinajpur district.
In a complaint dated September 5 and signed by MASUM secretary Kirity Roy, the organisation identified the man as Jalil Akhtar, son of Late Roushon Ali and a resident of Bagrail village under Dalkhola Police Station in Uttar Dinajpur.
MASUM alleged that Akhtar, an agricultural day labourer, was taken from his home around midnight on the intervening night of July 19 and 20, 2026, and subsequently held before a formal criminal case was registered against him.
The complaint disputes the police allegation that Akhtar is a Bangladeshi national, saying that he has substantial documentary evidence indicating his Indian identity and long-standing residence in West Bengal.
According to MASUM, Akhtar possesses an Elector Photo Identity Card, Aadhaar card and ration card. His name also allegedly appears in the 2002 electoral records, while the names of his father and grandfather appear in earlier electoral records.
The organisation said Akhtar had voted in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election and, according to information gathered during its fact-finding exercise, had never travelled to Bangladesh or any other foreign country.
MASUM flags discrepancies in police records
MASUM alleged that police records contain significant discrepancies concerning Akhtar’s identity, including his father’s name, age, address and nationality.
The complaint specifically refers to a written report attributed to Sub-Inspector Toton Debnath, which allegedly described the accused as “Jalil Akther (70)” from a village in the Haripur police station area of Thakurgaon district in Bangladesh.
However, the complaint said the detained man is Jalil Akhtar, aged about 66, son of Roushon Ali and a resident of Bagrail under Dalkhola Police Station in West Bengal.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.