War veteran reunites with family after 11 days at detention centre
GUWAHATI: Eid may have come three days late for Md Sana Ullah, but the Kargil war veteran is relieved that the ordeal of spending time as a “foreign national” at a detention centre has been cut short.
The former army officer was on Saturday morning released from the detention centre at Goalpara after the Gauhati High Court had granted him interim bail on Friday against a bail bond of Rs 20,000 with two local sureties of the like amount.
“It’s a big relief for us. I with all earnestness thank the honourable High Court for ordering my release from the detention centre. I have full faith in the judiciary and whatever verdict the honourable court gives I would respect and abide by it,” an elated Sana Ullah told The Shillong Times here on Saturday evening.
The 52-year-old reunited with his family at his Satgaon residence here after official formalities were completed at the Assam border police office at Amingaon, where well-wishers greeted him.
Asked how he was taken care of at the detention centre, the former army officer said, “Although I would not like to comment much, I would say that the standard operating procedures were adhered to.”
“However, the rice and vegetable served was a tad bland with no condiments. But today, there is a daawat (feast) at home and I am told biryani and chicken is being prepared. So, I cannot be happier to celebrate Eid today,” he said.
The foreigners’ tribunal at Boko had declared Sana Ullah as a “foreign national” on May 23 following which he was sent to the detention centre at Goalpara.
Subsequently, his family members had challenged the tribunal’s order in Gauhati High Court.
It may be mentioned that Sanaullah was released on bail with a number of riders, including one that he would not move out of the territorial jurisdiction of Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts without prior permission.
The division bench, comprising Justice Manojit Bhuyan and Justice Prasanta Kumar Deka, on Friday issued notices to the Union of India, the state government, Election Commission of India and the Office of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the first investigating officer of the case, Chandramal Das.
The respondents have been asked to reply on the issue in four week’s time.
Sanaullah had served the Indian Army for 30 years since 1987.