Guwahati: "I am an Indian and will remain an Indian," said former Army officer and Kargil War veteran Mohammed Sanaullah, who was declared a foreigner and detained by police in Assam.
The war veteran also thanked the Gauhati High Court for granting him bail.
Sanaullah was on Saturday released from a detention centre in Guwahati, a day after he was granted bail against a bail bond of Rs 20000, two local sureties and his biometrics.
"In 2008, an inquiry office initiated the case. Till 2018 I was not aware of it. When my name didn't appear in the NRC, I got to know that a case is pending in my name. Then I went for a trial and faced the process," he said.
Sanaullah, who claims to have served in the Indian Army for 30 years, said, "I joined the Army in 1987. I served in the Army for 30 years, including twice in Jammu and Kashmir and once in Imphal. I thank the High Court for granting me bail, I am an Indian and will remain an Indian. I am sure I will get justice," he added.
The High Court also issued notices to the central government and authorities of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Sanaullah was detained by police in May for failing to comply with the rules of NRC - a register of Indian citizens prepared in 1951 which is being updated currently to weed out illegal immigrants from Assam.
"We had filed a writ petition and interlocutory application on behalf of petitioner Sanaullah before Gauhati High Court division bench. On (the basis of) the writ petition, the court has issued a notice to all respondents including Union of India, state of Assam, NRC authority and the then inquiry officer. In the interlocutory application, the bail order proceeding took place," Sanaullah's counsel, advocate Yed Burhanpur Rahman, had said earlier.
The lawyer had said that the next hearing will take place in about two months.
- Mohammad Sanaullah, 52, who retired as an honorary Lieutenant in the Army, was arrested soon after he was summoned by the Assam Police Border Organisation, or the Border Police, in Guwahati on May 28
- Before joining Border Police, Sanaullah, during his tenure with the Army, was designated as a Captain. He was also conferred a medal by the President of India for his service
Also read: Assam HC grants bail to ex-Army officer Sanaullah
