HC seeks action-taken report on overstaying foreigners from Centre

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday directed the Central government to submit an action-taken report with regard to foreigners who have overstayed their visas in India and those who have not complied with the conditions imposed while issuing visa.

 While hearing two bail petitions filed by Nigeria nationals, Justice A V Chandrashekara directed Additional Solicitor General Krishna S Dixit to submit details about the number of foreigners who have overstayed their visas in the country, fines collected by the competent authority from overstaying foreigners, details about those who have committed crime and are behind bars, and those who have applied for bail.

The bench also sought information on the action taken by the FRRO against the violators.
The presiding officer of the court had summoned the ADGP (Crime) and the Bengaluru Police Commissioner to his chamber to gather details about the number of foreigners staying in the City.

One of the petitions was about five Nigerians, who were arrested on charges of cheating a person coaxing the latter into buying a car on OLX, an e-commerce website.  The petitioners had placed an advertisement in the website to sell a Honda City car for Rs 3,26,600.  After the buyer approached them, the petitioners directed him to transfer the amount through internet banking and to visit the airport to pick the car.  However, following the transfer of the amount, the petitioners didn’t show up to hand over the car.

In an other petition, a Nigerian has sought bail as he was arrested for his suspected involvement in selling drugs. On questioning him, the police found that the Nigerian failed to reveal his identity and produce his passport or visa. He was booked under various Sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946, Foreigners Order, 1948, and Passports Act, 1967.  
Justice Chandrashekara said that he would hear both the matters together and adjourned the next hearing till February 11, 2016.

Man-animal conflict
The High Court has directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) to take steps for mitigating the man-animal conflict in the State. The petitioner had sought a direction to the PCCF for erecting barriers and digging trenches, fences and repellants such as crackers on the forest fringes. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath disposed of the petition.