The High Court at Calcutta has issued a significant directive requiring the West Bengal Police to facilitate the transfer of Jaynab Ara Khatun, who was apprehended at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, to the competent jurisdictional court in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. The Division Bench, comprising Justices Rishad Medora and Tirthankar Ghosh, delivered this order while addressing a habeas corpus petition , bringing a sense of procedural clarity to a complex inter-state detention matter that has spanned several months.

The petitioner, Jaynab Ara Khatun, had been in custody since August 16, 2026 , following her arrest in connection with an FIR registered in late 2020 at the Sector 58 police station in Noida. Her legal representatives moved the High Court to challenge the legality of her ongoing detention in West Bengal, particularly after earlier efforts to secure her release or modify her custody status through local magisterial proceedings proved unsuccessful. The High Court's ruling centers on the reality that all pending legal actions against the petitioner are concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, with no corresponding criminal cases filed against her within the state of West Bengal.

Resolving Jurisdictional Impasse The court’s decision was preceded by a careful examination of the procedural timeline. The records indicated that the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Barrackpore had previously addressed the matter in August 2026 , where the petitioner’s transit remand request was denied and her application for bail was rejected. Despite these setbacks, the petitioner remained in West Bengal custody, sparking a legal challenge over the absence of any local charges.

During the proceedings, the Bench pointedly observed that the State of West Bengal failed to produce any documentation suggesting that the petitioner was wanted for any criminal activity within its territorial jurisdiction . By focusing on the 13 criminal cases linked to the Sector 58 police station in Gautam Buddh Nagar, the court determined that the most legally appropriate and efficient course of action was to ensure the petitioner faced the relevant judicial authorities in Uttar Pradesh.

"Having considered that there are specific criminal cases against the petitioner, we are of the opinion that petitioner be immediately placed before the jurisdictional Court having authority to exercise its powers over Sector 58 police station , Gautam Buddh Nagar, UP," the court stated in its official order.

Ensuring Procedural Compliance A critical aspect of the court's directive is the strict seven-day timeline imposed for the completion of the transfer. Recognizing that coordinating between the police departments of two different states can present bureaucratic hurdles, the High Court proactively assigned responsibility for the transit process. While it expects the Uttar Pradesh police authorities to coordinate the transfer, the Bench explicitly ordered that if those authorities are not immediately available, the West Bengal state police are mandated to arrange for the necessary precautions and travel to ensure the petitioner is presented before the Uttar Pradesh court within the designated period.

This instruction reflects the court's commitment to expediting judicial process, especially in matters where the liberty of the individual is at stake. By sidestepping the broader debate over the technical maintainability of the habeas corpus plea and focusing on the immediate practical requirements of the case, the High Court has prioritized the resolution of the conflict over jurisdictional friction.

Addressing Health and Safety Throughout the proceedings, the court remained mindful of the petitioner's personal circumstances. The records presented to the Bench noted that the petitioner has been suffering from a frailing health condition. This physical vulnerability served as an additional catalyst for the court’s firm stance on the seven-day deadline. The Bench clarified that the process of transit must be handled with appropriate care, mandating that the state police authorities "arrange abandon precaution" while transporting her across state lines.

The order effectively bypasses the impasse created by the previous rejection of transit remand in Barrackpore by mandating a direct appearance before the court that actually holds jurisdiction over the primary FIRs. The High Court has underscored that all involved parties must act according to the electronic copy of the order, ensuring that no administrative delays stall the implementation of this mandate.

By setting this deadline, the Calcutta High Court has ensured that the legal process in Uttar Pradesh can proceed without further unnecessary detention in a state where no charges were pending. The petitioner is now expected to be transported to Gautam Buddh Nagar, where she will have the opportunity to appear before the court of competent jurisdiction to address the 13 pending cases originating from the Sector 58 police station . This development signals a transition from the procedural uncertainty of the past few months to a phase of active judicial review in the state where the criminal allegations against her were originally lodged.

The court’s final order allows for the issuance of urgent certified copies, ensuring that all procedural requirements can be met immediately, thereby facilitating the rapid execution of the transfer and moving the case into its next stage. With the completion of this seven-day directive, the petitioner’s status will be shifted to the direct oversight of the Uttar Pradesh legal system, concluding this specific chapter of the ongoing litigation.