New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that Sikh woman Harjit Kaur, who was recently deported from the US, was not handcuffed at the time of her removal, although she did face custodial abuse before boarding the flight to India.
Responding to concerns raised by a Member of Parliament, Jaishankar referred to the account given by Kaur’s lawyer, who had said, “Thankfully they did not handcuff her. One officer was going to do so, but another officer stopped him.”
Jaishankar added that Indian immigration officials had verified the situation upon the flight’s arrival.
“Whenever a flight carrying deportations lands—whether chartered or commercial—our officers interview every person,” he said. “In this case, they confirmed that she was not handcuffed.”
