The State Government has decided to stop all proceedings related to the setting up of Foreigners’ Detention Centre in view of the “present circumstances.”
It also maintained that the move to set up the centre “was initiated in 2012 during the term of the previous government.”
‘No files seen’
Responding to a report that appeared in these columns on Friday, a communication issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said no files related to the project were seen by the Ministers in the government.
The campaign that the State was planning to set up a detention centre was baseless and that it had not taken any such decision as reported. A false campaign was being undertaken by some quarters in this regard, it said.
The Centre had asked all State Governments in August 2012 to set up detention centres for housing foreigners who had illegally entered the country, or those who overstayed after the expiry of passport and visa documents.
It was meant for those who were to be deported to their homeland after completing their punishment here. The Centre wanted the States to draw up proposals in this regard, the communication said.
Following the letter, the Home Department convened a meeting on November 4, 2015, which was attended by the then Director General of Police, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) and the Inspector General of Police (Jail). The Social Welfare Department was entrusted with the task of setting up the centres immediately outside the police department and jail premises.
On February 29, 2016, the Director of Social Justice was asked to submit a recommendation for setting up the detention centre and a managing committee consisting of district social justice officer and a District Police Superintendent was given its responsibility.
The Social Justice wing of the Secretariat had sought information on the likely number of inmates from the Director of Social Justice and from the State Crimes Record Bureau (SCRB). However, the SCRB did not give any information on these aspects. The Centre had been repeatedly sending reminders to the State departments regarding the letter that was issued earlier, it said.
