In a critical effort to establish their legal status, a family in West Bengal's Birbhum district is scrambling to compile proof of citizenship. This comes after the repatriation of Sunali Khatun and her young son from Bangladesh, while the fate of her husband and another woman remains uncertain ahead of a Supreme Court hearing.
Documents Presented in Citizenship Bid
Following the return of his wife and child, Danish Sheikh has been actively collecting official papers to substantiate his claim as an Indian citizen. Among the key documents is the voter identity card of his mother, Dilruba Bibi, which was issued on September 12, 2007. To establish a longer familial lineage, Sheikh has also traced his grandfather's name, Ekamuddin Sheikh, in the 2002 SIR (Supplementary Integrated Register) list for the Murari district.
In a parallel case, another woman named Sweety Bibi, who was also deported to Bangladesh, is relying on her mother's voter ID and her son's birth certificate as evidence of her Indian roots. These documents form the core of their legal battle to be recognized as citizens of India.
The Repatriation and Pending Uncertainty
The immediate trigger for this documentation drive was the repatriation of Sunali Khatun. She was brought back to her village of Paikar in Birbhum earlier this month, along with her eight-year-old son Shabir. This action was taken pursuant to a Supreme Court order, which considered the advanced stage of her pregnancy.
However, the crisis is far from over for the family. While Sunali and her son are now in India, the legal status of her husband, Danish Sheikh, and that of Sweety Bibi still hangs in the balance. Their future now depends entirely on the outcome of the judicial process.
Supreme Court to Decide Fate on January 6
The final decision in this sensitive matter rests with the country's highest court. A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, is scheduled to hear the case on January 6. The hearing will be crucial in determining whether the presented documents are sufficient to grant citizenship rights to Danish Sheikh and Sweety Bibi, allowing their return and reunification with their families in India.
The case highlights the complex and often harrowing human stories behind citizenship verification processes in border regions, putting a spotlight on the essential need for documented proof of identity and lineage.
