File picture of Bangladeshi nationals at Ramnagar village in Kendrapara district

Paradip, Feb. 15: The 114 Bangladeshi infiltrators, who had been served “Quit India” notice nine years ago, failed to put forward proof that are not illegal immigrants.

The notice had been served on 1,551 infiltrators under various provisions of the Foreigners’ Act on January 15, 2005. Of them, 1,437 illegal immigrants have laid claim for citizenship, while the rest of them failed to submit relevant documents negating their foreign national status, said an official.

According to the act, they were to be deported to Bangladesh a month after serving of the notice in 2005. However, the deportation move was put on hold then following the Union home ministry’s directives, he said.

The suspected foreign nationals from 366 families had been served the notice. Of them, 345 families, branded as illegal immigrants, managed to put forward relevant documentary proof in support of their determined claim that they were the country’s bona fide citizens, said Kendrapara additional district magistrate Umakant Swain. All of them submitted documents to show that they were migrants from Bengal. Some even claimed that they were registered refugees from Bangladesh.

The rest 114 illegal immigrants from 21 families could not furnish corroborative of their nationality, he said.

“The nationality of families, who have laid claim for Indian citizenship, is being cross-checked. The relevant records and documents, submitted by the suspected foreign nationals in support of their nationality claim, were dispatched to the Union home ministry and the Bengal government for foolproof verification,” said an official.

“The administration is carrying out the Union ministry’s directives. Those, who did not submit nationality proof, have lost the opportunity to wriggle out of the foreign-national stigma,” he said.