Delhi-born Rahim faces deportation despite proof of Indian citizenship
Karnataka court's stay on deportation exposes arbitrary targeting in India
Bengaluru : In a significant development, the Karnataka High Court has temporarily stayed the deportation of a Muslim man identified as Abdul Rahim, who has been in detention since March after authorities labelled him a Bangladeshi national.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to carry out a detailed verification of Rahim’s identity and barred his deportation until the next hearing on July 14.
Rahim, a 47-year-old Bengaluru resident running a registered waste-management business, says he was born in Seemapuri, Delhi in 1979 and has lived his entire life in India. He possesses multiple documents including birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID and driving licence to support his claim of Indian citizenship.
His lawyer argued that the detention violated his fundamental rights under Articles 14, 21 and 22 of the Indian Constitution and that authorities acted without proper inquiry.
The case has highlighted the growing trend of arbitrary targeting and harassment of Muslims in India under the guise of identifying “illegal immigrants”.
Critics say such actions reflect systemic bias and raise serious questions about due process and safeguards for citizens belonging to minority communities.
