Return of 'trafficked' Indian boy in legal limbo

The repatriation of Sonu, the “trafficked” Indian boy, hangs in the balance due to legal obligations.

Now at Jessore Kishore Unnayan Kendra, a correction centre, his return hinges on the directive of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Barguna, said Md Shahbuddin, deputy director of the centre.

The 12-year-old was “tricked” and brought to Bangladesh in 2010. He was rescued from “abductors” in Barguna in December last year.

Irked at the slow progress in the repatriation, the foreign ministry in a letter to the home ministry on May 31 requested it to take necessary measures for handing over the boy to the Indian High Commission representatives in Dhaka within a day.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the letter.

In the letter to Senior Home Secretary Mozammel Haque Khan, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque said, “It hasn't been possible to hand over Sonu to the representatives of the Indian High Commission until today [May 31] although the Indian external affairs minister herself took an initiative for his repatriation. The Indian side has reminded us of the matter again.

“Considering the bilateral relationship between the two countries and also on humanitarian grounds, non-settlement of the issue is unexpected despite assurance from the Indian high authorities,” read the letter.

Earlier, the foreign ministry on May 26 and 29 sent two more letters to the home ministry in this regard.

Besides, the foreign ministry wrote to the correction centre on June 1.

“The ministry asked us to hand over the boy to the Indian High Commission representatives because his parents were not wealthy enough to travel to Bangladesh to take their son back home,” Shahbuddin told The Daily Star.

He said either the parents or Indian High Commission will have to prove in the tribunal that Sonu is an Indian citizen.

“Sonu's mother told me over the phone today [Saturday] that they submitted papers for passport,” he added.

Despite repeated attempts, this newspaper couldn't reach the senior home secretary over the phone for comment.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on May 24 tweeted to resolve the repatriation issue soon. On that day, she tweeted four times regarding Sonu.

In her last tweet, she said the Indian authorities would match Sonu's DNA profiles with those of the couple who claim to be his parents. “In case DNA test is positive, we will bring Sonu to India without delay,” the tweet read.

Meanwhile, Jamal Ibne Musa, dubbed the real-life “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” for his efforts to reunite Sonu with his family, is now facing police harassment. The family which allegedly trafficked the New Delhi boy filed a case last week against Musa and his family members on charges of assaulting a woman.