Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Report on Missing Bangladeshi National Bipul Chandra Barman
The Supreme Court of India has sought a detailed status report from the Union government on the whereabouts of Bipul Chandra Barman, a Bangladeshi national who went missing after entering India for medical treatment in March 2025. The case came before the court through a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife, who has been seeking information about her husband's whereabouts.
Barman, a resident of Hindu Prodhan Para in Panchagarh district of Bangladesh, arrived in India on March 20, 2025, on a medical visa. According to the information placed before the court, he travelled to Siliguri in West Bengal for medical treatment and attended a hospital for two days. He subsequently travelled to the Thakur Anukul Chandra Ashram in Deoghar, Jharkhand. He has remained untraceable since March 24, 2025.
Centre Says Barman Was Not Detained or Deported
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, representing the Ministry of External Affairs, informed the Supreme Court that Barman remained untraceable. She stated that Indian authorities had neither detained nor arrested him and that he had not been deported from the country.
The Centre's position was that Barman should be treated as a missing person rather than someone held in official custody. The law officer also informed the court that the authorities had not communicated with their Bangladeshi counterparts regarding Barman's case.
The Ministry of External Affairs further suggested that his relatives should lodge a Zero First Information Report with the Jharkhand Police in Deoghar in connection with his disappearance. A Zero FIR can be registered at any police station, irrespective of where the alleged incident occurred, before being transferred to the police station with the appropriate territorial jurisdiction.
Bangladesh Confirms His Citizenship
Barman's wife, through her counsel, brought details of communication between the Indian and Bangladeshi authorities to the court's attention.
According to the submission, on June 30, 2025, the Bangladesh High Commission in Kolkata issued a letter to the Bangladesh government following a request from India's Ministry of External Affairs. The communication sought verification of a person reportedly detained in India and identified as Bipul Chandra Pradhan.
In August 2025, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry sent a communication to India's Ministry of Home Affairs. It confirmed that Barman was a Bangladeshi citizen and had no criminal antecedents.
These communications formed part of the information presented by the petitioner's side. The matter has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Barman's disappearance and the steps taken by the authorities to establish his whereabouts.
Wife Approaches Supreme Court
Barman's wife travelled to India while searching for her husband. In June 2026, she submitted a representation seeking information about his situation and his release, believing that he might be in the custody of Indian authorities.
After receiving no response to her representation, she approached the Supreme Court by filing a habeas corpus petition.
A habeas corpus petition is a legal remedy through which a person can ask a court to examine whether someone is being unlawfully detained. In this case, the petition seeks clarity about Barman's whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
The Ministry of External Affairs, however, maintained before the court that Barman was not in the custody of Indian authorities and that his status remained that of a missing person.
Mobile Phone Details and Last Known Location
The West Bengal government also placed information before the Supreme Court concerning the investigation into Barman's disappearance.
According to the state's submission, Barman's mobile phone number was subsequently found to be in use by a person in Barh, Bihar. The area is relatively close to Deoghar in Jharkhand, where Barman had travelled before he went missing.
The call detail record analysis also indicated that his last known location was at a temple in Matigara, near Siliguri in West Bengal.
These details were among the leads placed before the court. However, the information does not by itself establish what happened to Barman after his last known location or who was using his mobile phone number later.
Supreme Court Seeks Detailed Status Report
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana considered the submissions made by the parties.
The bench asked the Union government to examine the available information, including the leads mentioned in the petition and the status report submitted by the West Bengal government. It directed the Centre to file a detailed status report on the matter.
The court also questioned the circumstances surrounding the communication with the Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner, including the request for verification of Barman's citizenship and background.
The next steps will depend on the information gathered by the central and state authorities and the findings presented in the status report.
Search for Missing Bangladeshi National Continues
Barman's disappearance has involved authorities in multiple jurisdictions, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and the central government. His journey from Siliguri to Deoghar, the subsequent mobile phone information and the confirmation of his Bangladeshi citizenship are among the details being examined.
The Centre's position that he was not detained, arrested or deported is an important part of the proceedings. At the same time, his family continues to seek an explanation about what happened after he went missing.
The Supreme Court's direction for a detailed status report is expected to bring together the information available with the concerned authorities. Until further details are placed before the court, Barman's whereabouts remain unknown.
