**Haryana High Court Questions SOP for Migrant Worker Detention**
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently raised concerns regarding the Haryana government’s standard operating procedure (SOP) for verifying the identities of migrant workers detained in the state. This inquiry comes in the wake of a crackdown by Haryana Police on suspected illegal immigrants.
The issue gained prominence after several Bengali-speaking individuals were apprehended in Gurugram in July, suspected of being undocumented Bangladeshi nationals. Upon verification, it was revealed that many were actually Indian citizens from West Bengal and Assam, leading to their release once their documents were confirmed.
A petition filed by Nirmal Gorana, a resident of Delhi, highlighted the lack of a proper verification process in Haryana and Punjab, suggesting that existing regulations are being “flagrantly violated.” The petition names the Haryana government, the Commissioner of Police in Gurugram, and the district magistrate as respondents.
In defense of the police actions, Haryana’s legal counsel stated that the officers were following directives from the Union government. In May 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) instructed all states and union territories to establish Special Task Forces in each district to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants within a 30-day timeframe.
The Haryana government claimed that an SOP exists, developed by the MHA’s Foreigners Branch, but noted that the petitioner had not demonstrated whether this SOP is publicly accessible on the government’s website. Bhavpreet Singh Dhatt, the petitioner’s lawyer, expressed concerns to media outlets, stating that over a thousand workers detained in Gurugram were wrongly identified as Bangladeshi nationals, despite many possessing valid documentation or being from West Bengal and Assam. He criticized the lack of an SOP guiding these detentions, highlighting that individuals were held in detention centers without communication and faced inhumane treatment.
The court has instructed the Haryana government to submit the SOP, if it exists, by September 15. The petitioner has also been asked to file an affidavit confirming whether such a procedure is in place. Currently, there is no clarity on how authorities differentiate between illegal migrants and Indian citizens during these operations.
**FAQ**
**Q: What prompted the Punjab and Haryana High Court to question the Haryana government?**
A: The court questioned the Haryana government regarding its SOP for verifying the identities of detained migrant workers following a crackdown on suspected illegal immigrants, which led to the wrongful detention of Indian citizens.