- Dipali Das was detained for two years after being declared an illegal migrant in Assam
- She was released on bail in May 2021 following a Supreme Court order
- Das applied for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act after her release
59-year-old Dipali Das, an Assam resident who spent two years in detention after being declared a foreigner, has been granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Das, a resident of Cachar district, was declared an illegal migrant by a Foreigners' Tribunal (FT) in February 2019.
Das was reportedly detained and sent to Silchar detention centre on May 10, 2019.
Speaking to reporters, Dharmananda Deb, Das's lawyer said, "She remained there for nearly two years before being released on bail on May 17, 2021 following a Supreme Court order. Dipali was originally a resident of Dippur village under Dhirai police station in Bangladesh's Sylhet district. She married Abhimanyu Das of Parai village under Baniachong police station in Habiganj district in 1987,".
Deb said, "Her citizenship came under scrutiny in 2013 when a police inquiry was initiated against her. Ajmal Hussain Laskar, was handling the case and submitted a chargesheet on July 2, 2013 stating that Dipali was a resident of Baniachong in Bangladesh and had entered India illegally after March 1971."
"Under Indian law, anyone entering the country illegally after the March 25, 1971 cut-off is considered an illegal migrant in Assam. The same chargesheet later proved crucial in Dipali's application for Indian citizenship under the CAA," Deb said.
After her release on bail in 2021, Das wanted to apply for citizenship under the CAA. Although the Act was passed in 2019, the rules required for its implementation were notified only in 2024.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, triggered widespread protests across the country, particularly in Assam.
The legislation allows Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain and Parsi migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India between March 25, 1971 and December 31, 2014 to apply for Indian citizenship.
Assam has nearly two lakh individuals identified as doubtful citizens, but only a small number have applied for citizenship under the CAA so far.
