Kolkata, Jul 14 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court said it would hear two habeas corpus petitions alleging illegal detention of migrant workers from West Bengal in Odisha and Delhi on Wednesday.
However, the court was verbally informed by one of the lawyers that two workers — Sainur Islam and Rakibul Islam — have since returned to their homes from Odisha.
A division bench presided by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty then said the matter would be taken up on July 16, along with similar petitions concerning migrant workers from the state allegedly detained illegally in Delhi.
When the petitioners' lawyer, appearing virtually, claimed that several other migrant workers from West Bengal were being detained in Odisha, the division bench — also comprising Justice Reetobroto Kumar Mitra — directed him to confine his submissions to his client’s case.
The relatives of the two migrant workers alleged in separate petitions that they have been illegally detained by Odisha Police in Jagatsinghpur district.
The division bench had on July 11 directed the Odisha government to place before it relevant documents on whether the two had been detained or are missing.
The bench had directed the West Bengal chief secretary to coordinate with his Odisha counterpart for compliance of the order and for placement of all necessary instructions and documents before this court on the next date of hearing.
Taking up two habeas corpus petitions alleging illegal detention of migrant workers from West Bengal in Delhi, the Calcutta High Court had on Friday directed the Delhi administration to clarify whether they are under detention.
A habeas corpus petition is a legal remedy seeking direction to produce a person who is missing or has been illegally detained.