Gujarat Man Reunited with Family After 100 Days in Detention
After an agonizing wait of over 100 days, Liyakat Ali, a 51-year-old man from Ahmedabad, has finally been reunited with his family. His return follows a tumultuous journey after he was picked up by the police on suspicion of being an undocumented Bangladeshi migrant. His family had expressed deep concerns, fearing for his safety and even the possibility of his deportation.
Liyakat, who has lived in Ahmedabad for the past two decades, was detained on May 1. His family, worried about his well-being, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Gujarat High Court in May to locate him. A habeas corpus petition is a legal request to ensure that a detained person is brought before a court to check the lawfulness of their detention. Unfortunately, their petition was dismissed, leaving them desperate and confused.
On August 5, Liyakat’s brother, Muzaffarali Shaikh, received a call from the police. The police informed him that Liyakat had been found living under a bridge, around five kilometers from the police station where he was held. It turns out that Liyakat had been living with other homeless individuals and relying on the kindness of charitable organizations for food.
The Family’s Plight
Liyakat hails from Krishnapur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district. He moved to Ahmedabad two decades ago to live with his brother. Unfortunately, he suffers from an undiagnosed mental health condition and is currently unemployed. The family lived in the Chandola Talav slum until their home was demolished in an anti-encroachment drive by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in April. This event left them displaced and vulnerable.
On April 26, just four days after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, police came to their settlement. They began rounding up residents early in the morning, including Liyakat and his family. As per Akbar Ali, Liyakat’s nephew, they were forcibly taken from their home and made to wait in an open ground for hours. Eventually, Liyakat and others were taken to the Behrampura Police Station and later transferred to the crime branch office.
Akbar last saw his uncle at the Gayakwad Haveli police station. He and his brother were released the next day, but Liyakat’s condition concerned the family. He often kept to himself, making it difficult for him to assert his identity, which heightened their fears that he could be forcibly sent to Bangladesh.
What made matters worse was a shocking report in May, which claimed that around 78 undocumented migrants, including Liyakat, had been flown out of India and sent to Bangladesh. The family was terrified that Liyakat might meet the same fate.
In Search of Justice
After Liyakat’s return, he shared his experience. “They kept me in the police station for six days, fed me, and then released me,” he recounted. However, he lacked any documents to prove his Indian citizenship and couldn’t remember his brother’s contact number.
Following his release, Liyakat wandered the city for some time before taking shelter under a flyover. Thankfully, some residents from Chandola Talav recognized him and alerted the police, leading to his eventual rescue.
Lawyer Aum Kotwal, who represented the family in their legal battle, asserted that Liyakat’s detention should have never happened. According to him, the police had a legal obligation to present Liyakat before a magistrate within 24 hours. Had they done so, he may have received the necessary mental health treatment and would have been able to provide his address.
“There is no doubt that the detention was illegal,” he stated. Shaikh shared the sentiment that if the police had followed proper procedures, Liyakat could have been located much sooner.
The Next Steps
Despite the ordeal they faced, the family is relieved to have Liyakat back home. They have since moved to a new locality due to the demolition of their previous home. “For my brother, finding us would have been incredibly hard, but now he is safe,” said Shaikh, with palpable relief in his voice.
While the experience was traumatic, the family has decided against pursuing legal action at this time. “He is back, and that is what matters most to us,” Shaikh concluded.
This situation has shed light on the challenges faced by marginalized communities and the importance of following legal protocols in the treatment of individuals in police custody.
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