SC rules authorities cannot randomly accuse people of being foreigners

Says authorities cannot initiate investigations into a person's nationality without substantial evidence or information to support suspicion

- 

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that authorities cannot arbitrarily accuse individuals of being foreigners and initiate investigations into a person’s nationality without substantial evidence or information to support suspicion.

This judgement overturned a 2012 declaration by the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam, later affirmed by the Gauhati High Court in 2015, which declared Md Rahim Ali is a foreigner. The Supreme Court criticised the casual manner in which authorities initiated proceedings based on mere suspicion without material evidence.