The Supreme Court has issued an interim order directing the government not to deport four Bhutanese refugees who re-entered Nepal after being denied entry by Bhutan. The court’s order came on Thursday following a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of the detainees.

A single bench of Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal instructed the government to produce the four refugees—Ashok Gurung, Santosh Darji, Roshan Tamang, and Ashish Subedi—before the court on April 23.

The four, who are from Nepali speaking community in Bhutan, were resettled in the United States under a UN-led third-country resettlement programme. They were deported from the US on March 24 over alleged involvement in criminal activities.

The individuals, initially arriving at Paro Airport in Thimphu via Delhi, were transported by Bhutanese authorities to the Phuentsholing-Jaigaon border. From the border point, Indian security forces escorted them for a 166-kilometre journey, ultimately leaving them at the Panitanki border point in eastern Nepal.

Nepali authorities arrested three of them from the Beldangi refugee camp on March 27, while the fourth, Ashok Gurung, was detained in Bahundangi two days later. They have since been held in police custody while the Department of Immigration investigates their case.

The Supreme Court’s order follows a petition filed by advocate Narayan Kumar Subedi, who claimed that the individuals were being detained unlawfully and faced potential deportation without due process.

Meanwhile, rights activists have expressed concern over the safety and legal status of the deportees. Dil Bhutani, a refugee rights advocate, said, “Regardless of their legal situation, we demand assurance of their safety and dignity.”

The US has reportedly prepared a list of 63 Bhutanese refugees for deportation on similar grounds. Of these, 18 have already been returned to Bhutan, while four are now in custody in Nepal. The whereabouts of the remaining 14 remain unknown.

Bhutan has refused to recognise the deportees as its citizens, creating a diplomatic impasse. Refugee advocates are urging Nepal to handle the situation cautiously and ensure that the rights of the individuals involved are protected.