25 foreigners in Amritsar jail despite completing terms

CHANDIGARH: There are around 25 foreign nationals in Amritsar jail, who have completed their sentences but could not be repatriated because of non-confirmation of their nationality.
In an affidavit filed on Monday, the Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that out of 38 foreign nationals confined in Amritsar jail, 10 had been repatriated, two died and repatriation of one was under process.While maximum numbers of such foreign nationals are from Pakistan, two each are from Nepal and Bangladesh, and one each from Myanmar, Kenya and Sri Lanka.
Punjab government’s main submission is that these 25 foreign nationals could not be repatriated because of non-confirmation of their nationality and until the Centre took up their cases.
Taking the state’s reply, the HC asked the Centre to verify the submissions and clarify its stand on the issue.
The matter is pending before the HC after a suo motu cognizance on the conditions of prisoners inside the jails. Earlier the HC had asked the Punjab government to consider the cases of release of the foreign nationals, who have completed their term. The state was also asked to verify the record from the Amritsar jail authorities and see if more details of these inmates could be gathered.