Jafaria v. Union of India & Ors.

Judgment

CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Wrlt Petition (Criminal) No. 49 of 2009. Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. 8.S. Billoria, Dinesh Kumar Garg for the Petitioner. Gopal Subramanium, SG, Dr. Manish Singhvi, AAG, Aman Ahluwalia, S.N. Terdal, Devanshu Kumar Devesh, Vinay Kumar Sharma, Milind Kumar for the Respondents. The following Order of the Court was delivered ORDER

1According to the petitioner, he is a permanent resident of Chorewala, District Rahimiarkhan, Pakistan and has been illegally detained for the last three and a half years in Central Jail, Jaipur though he has undergone actual sentence of nine years awarded by Sessions Court in Sessions Case No. 228 of 1997 by judgement dated 16.01.2006. The present confinement, according to him, is contrary to Article 21 of the Co~stitution of India. In the writ petition he has also highlighted JAFARIA v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS. various details and finally prayed for issuance of a writ of A Habeas Corpus to release him from Central Jail, Jaipur forthwith.

2Pursuant to the notice issued by this Court, State of Rajasthan has filed a counter affidavit stating that they have no objection in releasing the petitioner from Central Jail, Jaipur.

3On behalf of the Government of India, Deputy Secretary (Foreigners) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, filed an affidavit highlighting its stand. Mr. Gopal Subramanium, learned Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India, by drawing our attention to paragraph 10 of the said affidavit submitted that in view of the decision taken by the Union of India, no direction is required from this Court. It is useful to refer paragraph 10 of the said affidavit which reads as under: 'Most respectfully, it is further submitted that for the repatriation of all Pak nationals including Mr. Jafaria, who have completed their sentence and who have been confirmed by the Pakistani authorities as Pakistani nationals, this Ministry had sought 'No Objection' from the State Governments concerned (including Government of Rajasthan in respect of Mr. Jafaria). No objection from the Government of Rajasthan in respect of Mr. Jafaria has since been received. It has accordingly been decided to repatriate Mr. Jafaria to Pakistan on 25th March, 2010 through the Attari-Wagha border'.

4In view of the specific information that the Government of lnrfia has taken a decision to repatriate the petitioner namely, Jafaria, to Pakistan on 25th March, 2010 through Attari-Wagha Border, no further direction is required except recording the above information. This Court appreciates the efforts made by the learned Solicitor General and the ultimate decision by the Government of India.

5With the above observation, the writ petition is aisposed of. R:P. Writ Petition disposed of.