18 declared foreigners released on bail following SC order

Eighteen people who were declared foreigners over three years ago were released on bail from a detention camp in Goalpara district of Assam, a police official said here on Thursday.

Their release followed a Supreme Court order in July that people who were declared foreigners by Foreigners' Tribunals and are in detention camps for three years or more would be freed on bail.

These 18 people - eight from Barpeta, six from Bongaigaon, two from Chirang and one each from South Salmara and Kokrajhar districts - were released on bail by the Foreigners' Tribunal, the official said.

They were allowed to go on a surety bond of Rs two lakh each from Indian citizens, and after providing biometric details, following the instruction of the Supreme Court.

The official said the 18 persons would have to report to the nearest police station in case they change their given residential address.

Earlier on August 26, days before the publication of the updated final NRC on August 31, 10 declared foreigners, were released on bail from the Goalpara Detention Camp.

Assam has six detention centres inside district jails in Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Silchar to house people declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals.