As many as 158 foreign nationals were deported from Karnataka in the last three years and the Centre’s instructions in dealing with illegal immigrants was being followed scrupulously, the State government informed the High Court of Karnataka on Thursday.
A statement was submitted before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur during the hearing of two PIL petitions seeking action against illegally-staying foreigners, including those from Bangladesh.
The data submitted to the court pointed out that 86 foreigners were deported from Bengaluru city, 33 from Vijayapura district, 14 from Dakshina Kannada district, 12 from Belagavi district, three from Udupi district, two from Raichur district etc. during 2017-2019.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry in its statement pointed out that 6,479 foreigners were deported from the country during 2016-18 and the responsibility of identifying illegal immigrants, initiating the process of locating and deporting those staying their visa period had been delegated to the State governments.
Instructions were issued in 2018 to the State governments and Union Territories (UTs) to sensitise law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take appropriate steps for identification of illegal immigrants, restricting them to specified locations as per provisions of law, capturing their biographic and biometric particulars, and initiating legal proceedings, including deportation proceedings, as per provisions of law.
The State governments and UTs have also been advised to share the particulars of illegal immigrants, who have wrongfully obtained Aadhaar, with the UIDAI for appropriate legal action.
Foreigners visiting India on long term, for a period more than 180 days, under student, employment, research, business, and medical visa categories will have to register themselves with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days of their arrival. However, Pakistani nationals (other than those on medial visa and those exempted from police reporting) are required to register with the FRRO within 24 hours of their arrival, and Pakistani nationals with medical visa are required to register within seven days of their arrival, the Ministry stated.
