DCs provided wrong info that no illegal immigrants in Santhal Pargana: Jharkhand High Court

Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday said the deputy commissioners of Santhal Pargana districts provided "wrong" information that there were no illegal immigrants in the region.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on illegal immigration from Bangladesh in the region.

The deputy commissioners had earlier stated in the court that there are no illegal immigrants in the Santhal Pargana which was contradicted by an affidavit filed by the Centre.

The court observed that the Centre in its affidavit has stated that the presence of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the Santhal Pargana was evident.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the Union home secretary and the chief secretary of Jharkhand should sit together and form a high-powered committee, comprising officers of the Centre and the state, to deal with illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

The case will again be heard on September 20.