The Supreme Court intervened in a case involving a family facing deportation to Pakistan, citing their possession of Indian passports and Aadhaar cards as proof of citizenship. The family claimed to be Indian nationals who had moved from Mirpur to Srinagar in 1997. However, the Union government had ordered their deportation following the revocation of valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals after the Pahalgam terror attack.
The family, including an MBA holder from IIM Kerala working in Bengaluru, was detained by the J&K Police and taken to the India-Pakistan border for forced deportation. The Supreme Court granted interim relief, directing authorities not to take coercive measures against the petitioners until verification of their documents.
The apex court ordered the authorities to verify the family’s documents and take an appropriate decision at the earliest. The court’s decision will not set a precedent for other deportation cases. The family’s plea highlights the complexities surrounding citizenship and deportation, and the need for careful consideration of individual cases. The Supreme Court’s intervention has provided temporary relief to the family, allowing them to await the outcome of the verification process.
