Supreme Court Orders Centre to Bring Back Nine-Month Pregnant Sonali Khatun and Her Son from Bangladesh on Humanitarian Grounds

The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to immediately repatriate nine-months pregnant Sonali Khatun and her eight-year-old son from Bangladesh, accepting the Centre’s undertaking that it will facilitate their return purely on humanitarian considerations.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasised that the State must sometimes “bend in humanitarian interest” and ordered the government to provide free medical care to the heavily pregnant woman and ensure proper arrangements for the minor child during the journey and after arrival.

Sonali Khatun claims to be the daughter of Indian citizen Bhodu Sheikh. Justice Joymala Bagchi, part of the Bench, noted that Bhodu Sheikh’s citizenship is undisputed and, if Sonali is indeed his daughter, she and her children would automatically be Indian citizens under the Citizenship Act.

The court was hearing an urgent plea after Sonali Khatun, her husband, Danish Sheikh, and their son were pushed across the Indo-Bangladesh border earlier this year despite pending citizenship claims. Another family—Sweety Bibi, her husband, and their two children—faced similar deportation on June 27, 2025.

On September 26, the Calcutta High Court had declared both deportations “illegal” and directed the Centre to bring back all seven individuals within one month. Fearing contempt action from the High Court, the Centre approached the Supreme Court , which on Monday (December 1) had asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to consider allowing at least the pregnant woman and her child to return.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing West Bengal, urged the Centre to extend the same relief to the remaining five deportees. SG Mehta strongly opposed this, insisting they are Bangladeshi nationals and that their citizenship claims are seriously contested.

The Bench accepted the Centre’s assurance regarding Sonali Khatun and her son but made no immediate order on the others. It posted the broader matter—concerning the legality of the deportations and the Calcutta High Court’s September order—for further hearing on December 16 and asked the Centre to seek a stay on any contempt proceedings before the High Court in the meantime.