Bengaluru: West Bengal couple released after over 300 days in jail over suspicion of being Bangladeshis

Palash and Shukla Adhikari, who had travelled to Bengaluru with their 2-year-old child to work as labourers, were detained in July 2022 on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

After 301 days in jail on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, a Burdwan couple has finally been granted bail.

According to Times of India, Palash and Shukla Adhikari, who had travelled to Bengaluru with their 2-year-old child to work as labourers, were detained in July 2022.

Police allegedly believed they were from Bangladesh and booked them under the Foreigners Act.

They were taken to jail after making many unsuccessful attempts to identify themselves as being from Jhaugram's Telepukur under Jamalpur police station in East Burdwan.  A Bengaluru police squad afterward examined Palash's East Burdwan residence.

Palash's family arrived in Bengaluru as well, and they hired lawyers to forward their bail case. According to the Times of India, the police have a charge sheet against them.

The couple received a bond on April 28, according to Sujoy Haldar, a relative of Palash. But because they could not instantly abide by the bail bonds, which required a local guarantor to provide their land papers, they were freed from jail on May 24.

Sathi Adhikary, Palash's sister who works in a beauty salon, used her earnings to fund the defense.  "I got a call around 9.30pm on 24 May that dada (elder brother) and boudi (sister-in- law) were released from prison. I spoke to them over a video call. During the video call, my mother could not hold back her tears. Both were looking weak. She talked with her two-year-old nephew."