Meghalaya HC Questions Detention of Bangladeshi National Beyond Six-Month Sentence

way2barak, September 9 : The Meghalaya High Court has directed the Inspector General of Prisons to appear personally before it over the continued detention of a Bangladeshi national who has remained in prison for more than a year after completing his six-month sentence.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W. Diengdoh passed the direction while hearing a 2026 case filed by the Registrar General of the High Court of Meghalaya.

The court was informed by Additional Advocate General K Khan that the prisoner had completed his sentence but remained incarcerated as authorities were awaiting verification of his nationality from the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh.

The bench, however, rejected the explanation and questioned why the man continued to be kept in prison when the sentence imposed on him had already ended.

The court observed that the authorities should have initiated the process of establishing his nationality with the Bangladeshi authorities when the case was first taken up. It said a lack of response from the Assistant High Commissioner could not be treated as sufficient grounds to extend a person’s imprisonment beyond the prescribed term.