Jharkhand HC asks Centre if CAA can be used for steps against illegal B'deshi immigrants

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to inform it whether action can be taken under the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who are residing in the states Santhal Pargana region.

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to inform it whether action can be taken under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who are residing in the state's Santhal Pargana region. The court's direction came when it was hearing a PIL praying for a direction to the Union government to take action under the CAA against Bangladeshis who entered the state illegally. The CAA was implemented recently to grant citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

A division bench comprising Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and Arun Kumar Rai was hearing the PIL filed by one Daniel Danish who raised the issue of infiltration of people from the neighbouring country into the state.

The petitioner claimed that illegal immigrants came to the state through the borders and are living in Sahibganj, Pakur, Godda, Jamtara and Dumka districts of the Santhal Pargana region.

These immigrants are setting up madrasas and settlements in the five districts and are disturbing the existence of the local tribal populace, Danish alleged in his petition.

The Centre, and not the state government, is empowered to take action in the matter under the CAA, the petitioner said.

The bench directed the Union government's counsel Prashant Pallav to seek instructions in the matter and file an affidavit to clear the stand of the Centre.

The case will again be heard on May 3.

Earlier the high court had directed the Union home ministry to explain how illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country are entering into India.

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