‘Don’t cut short process’: SC to NRC coordinator after Ex-Soldier declared foreigner

New Delhi, May 30: The Supreme Court today pulled up the National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator Prateek Hajela and directed him to ensure a fair hearing without cutting short the process and thereby completing the same by end of July.

The Chief Justice of India told the NRC coordinator "Don't cut short the process just b'coz you have to meet the deadline of 31 July."

Mohammad Sanaulla, 53, who served as a Subedar in the Army till 2017 and fought terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur, was arrested on Wednesday and sent to a detention centre.

Sanaullah's son, Shahid Akthar asked how could someone who has served the country be treated as a foreigner and be taken to a detention centre like this.

In 2017, Sanaullah's cousin Ajmal Haque was served a notice, which the Assam police later said was a case of mistaken identity.

Almost a year ago, Assam published the NRC draft which left out around 4 million people.