IMPHAL, Sept 24 – A court here has sentenced 22 Bangladeshi nationals who entered Manipur illegally, to two years imprisonment in addition to slapping them a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
The Bangladeshi nationals were chargesheeted under provisions of Foreigners Act 1946, sources said. Two children, who accompanied the 22 illegal migrants, were sent to juvenile home, the source added.
Legal sources in Imphal said the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East’s order said that the Bangladeshis will have to undergo 20 days rigorous imprisonment while the remaining period of the jail term should be simple imprisonment. In case, the convicts cannot pay the fine of Rs 10,000, their prison term should be extended by six months. The 22 convicted foreign nationals were pulled up by police from Hatta and surrounding areas on August 30.
Since then, the State Home department has been instructed to take up proceedings for deportation of the foreigners after completion of their prison term.
The recent drive against illegal immigrants in Manipur was launched after North East people were reportedly threatened and targeted through SMSs and e-mails in different cities of India which resulted in mass exodus from southern Indian cities.
After Imphal East District Police succeeded in nabbing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, 19 Myanmarese nationals were picked up from Lilong area of Thoubal district. Further, four Bangladeshi immigrants were picked up from Serou. Recently, around 200 Bangladeshi nationals were intercepted at Jiribam and made to turn back.
On Friday, a public meeting held under the aegis of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System at Jiribam resolved to press the State Government to implement Inner Line Permit System in the State by November 18.
It may be worth mentioning here that Manipur Assembly had passed a private member resolution to extend Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 in the State.
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