BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the state and central governments on public interest litigation filed by Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) seeking directions to make necessary arrangements for shifting 38 Sri Lankan citizens, victims of human trafficking languishing in Central Prison in the city over a year, to the Foreigners Detention Centre.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty issued notice to the Union of India, Home Department, Government of Karnataka, Mangaluru South Police and Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban District and others.
The Member Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority visited the central prison on May 11, 2022, and a report was submitted to KSLSA on Sri Lankan citizens in prison. It was stated in the petition that despite the order passed by the trial court in 2021, the Detention Centres have not been set up by the Deputy Commissioner to date, all 38 victims are continued to be detained in jail.
Thus the concerned authorities have failed in their statutory duty in complying with the court order. The detainees are helpless without any friends or relatives in India. Hence, the PIL is taking up to protect their human rights and uphold the rule of law, the petitioner said.
Stating that the detention of Sri Lankan citizens in jail is arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional, the petitioner alleged that the Deputy Commissioner, as well as the police officers, have failed to discharge their statutory duty.
"It is the duty of the state and central governments to set up a sufficient number of Detention Centres for the helpless illegal immigrants who are awaiting deportation. However, there is no sufficient number of such centres in the state which has resulted in illegal immigrants being detained in jail which is illegal. Delay in deporting has led to severe crises endangering the safety and security of the nation. They can also come in contact with other accused persons", the petitioner claimed.
In June 2021, Mangaluru City Police have detained Sri Lankan citizens who were kept in "Seaport Guest House" on Ajijuddin Road in Mangaluru city by promising them to provide a job in Canada and receiving Rs 5 to 10 lakh from each one of them, in a total of Rs 1.82 crore, by some agents. Later the investigation was handed over to NIA.