Assam HC grants bail to ex-Army officer Sanaullah

Guwahati High Court granted bail to retired Army officer Mohammed Sanaullah on Friday. Mohammed Sanaullah was declared a foreigner and was detained by police in Assam on May 23. Mohammed Sanaullah, 52, was sent to a detention camp after a tribunal declared him a foreigner.

Guwahati (Assam): Former Army officer and Kargil war veteran, Mohammed Sanaullah, who was detained after being declared a non-citizen, was granted bail by the Guwahati High Court on Friday.

The court also issued notices to the Centre and authorities of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

He was detained by police in May for failing to conform 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 in Guwahati High Court division bench. On writ petition, High 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, told the media.

The lawyer also informed that the next hearing will take place in about two months.

The former army man's family members who attended the hearing breathed a sigh of relief after the court's order and also alleged lapses on the part of the Investigating Officer.

"I was also present in the court today. The government advocate and our counsel put forward their valid points. Investigation Officer had made a mistake and shown him as labour at a time when he was actually on-service in armed forces," said Ajmal Haque, Sanaullah's family member.

His nephew Moksed Ali told the media, "He is my uncle. We expected him to be home for Eid, however, it did not happen. He served in the Indian Army for 30 years and for a small mistake of an officer, my uncle is in the detention camp."

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 served in the Army for 30 years. He was also conferred a medal by President of India for his service.