Assam Woman Once Declared Foreigner Granted Indian Citizenship Under CAA

A 59-year-old woman from Cachar district in Assam, once declared a foreigner and detained for nearly two years, has been granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Depali Das, a resident of Hawaithang under the Dholai constituency, was earlier declared an illegal migrant by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in 2019 and was sent to a detention centre in Silchar. She was released on bail in 2021 following a directive from the Supreme Court of India.

According to her lawyer, she applied for citizenship after the CAA rules were notified in 2024. Following verification and multiple hearings, Das received her official Indian citizenship certificate on March 6, becoming the first declared foreigner in Assam who was earlier detained and later granted citizenship under the CAA.