New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) The Supreme Court today came down heavily on a man claiming to be the father of two minor Russian girls who, along with their mother, were found living in a cave near Gokarna, Karnataka, earlier this year.
A bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, was hearing his plea challenging a Karnataka High Court’s order that had allowed the union government to issue travel documents to facilitate the family’s repatriation to Russia.
As the matter was taken up, Justice Surya Kant asked the petitioner’s counsel, “What is your right? Who are you?” When the lawyer submitted that his client was the father of the children, the bench sought official proof.
“Please show us any official document declaring you as the father,” Justice Kant said, adding sharply, “Why should we not direct your deportation?”
Justice Joymalya Bagchi also rebuked the petitioner, observing, “Publicity litigation, What were you doing when your children were living in a cave?” Justice Kant further asked, “What were you doing staying in Goa?”
Faced with the court’s strong remarks, the petitioner sought to withdraw the plea, which the bench allowed.
Before concluding, Justice Kant made a wider observation: “This country has become a haven, anybody comes and stays.”
Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had upheld the union government’s decision to facilitate the repatriation of the Russian woman, identified as Nina Kutina, and her two daughters.
The family had been discovered on July 11 living in isolation in the Ramatirtha Hills near Gokarna for nearly two months after reportedly running out of money.
Dror Shlomo Goldstein, who claimed to be the father of the girls, had approached the High Court seeking to restrain the government from proceeding with what he called the “sudden deportation” of the children.
He invoked the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, arguing that the authorities should consider the best interests of the minors.
However, the State government informed the court that after receiving a DNA report of the younger child, the Russian authorities had been notified, and the Russian government had issued emergency travel documents valid from September 25 to October 9 to enable their return.
The High Court noted that the mother had overstayed her visa and had herself expressed a desire to return to Russia.
Observing that repatriation was in the best interest of the children, the Court concluded that it was within the union government’s domain to issue the necessary travel documents.
The petition before the Supreme Court was filed through Advocate-on-Record Deepak Prakash.
