ThePrint ThePrintPod: Declared ‘non-Indian’ & sent to Bangladesh, a Muslim widow takes her fight to Supreme Court
Jan 14, 2026
Aheda Khatun, a Muslim widow from Assam, is battling her deportation to Bangladesh after being deemed a non-Indian. The case reveals a troubling oversight in the tribunal, where key documents were ignored. Despite the Gauhati High Court dismissing her petition, Khatun seeks justice at the Supreme Court. The rejection of critical evidence based on technicalities raises important legal questions about rural practices. This compelling story highlights the complexities of identity and citizenship in today's legal landscape.
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Widow Declared Foreigner And Deported
- Aheda Khatun, a 44-year-old Muslim widow from Assam, was declared a foreigner and sent to Bangladesh despite family members being Indian citizens.
- She was held in a detention camp and later deported after the Gauhati High Court refused to hear her belated challenge.
Tribunal's Merit Ruling Is Under Challenge
- The Foreigner's Tribunal ruled Khatun a foreigner in 2019, saying she failed to link herself to Indian parents and grandparents.
- She challenged both the tribunal's merit findings and the Gauhati High Court's refusal to examine documents, taking the matter to the Supreme Court.
Documentary Evidence Presented By Family
- Khatun presented multiple documents: voter lists, a school certificate, a Gaon Bura certificate, and a registered gift deed showing her father's land gift.
- Her parents' names appeared in electoral rolls across decades and her father gifted ancestral land to daughters in 2010.