The Karnataka High Court has allowed the Centre to provide the necessary travel documents for an overstaying Russian woman and her two daughters, who were discovered residing in a cave in Gokarna, Karnataka, to facilitate their return to Russia. The woman and her children were reportedly found living in the cave by passersby in July.
‘Cannot Be Considered Deportation’
Justice BM Shyam Prasad issued the order after it was informed that Russian authorities had issued emergency travel documents for the woman and her children, including five-year-old Ama, who was born in India, reported The Hindustan Times.
The court also disposed of a petition filed by Dror Shlomo Goldstein, an Israeli resident claiming to be the woman’s former husband. In the petition, Goldstein requested that the Centre not deport his minor children immediately. His counsel argued that Goldstein was responsible for the care of the children and cited the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
However, the bench noted that the family was found in unusual circumstances and that steps for their rehabilitation naturally followed. It emphasised that the children’s well-being should be considered in a broader context and acknowledged that the mother had sought repatriation, reported Times of India.
The court stated that all relevant documents had been shared with Russian authorities, who promptly provided the necessary travel documentation. Additional Solicitor General Aravind Kamath, representing the Centre, informed the court that the DNA report of the younger daughter had been communicated to the Russian government, which facilitated granting her Russian citizenship.
The bench further clarified that sending the woman and her children back to Russia cannot be considered deportation, although the central government retains the authority to deport anyone who has overstayed. The woman had been residing in India since 2017.
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