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2009 Supreme(AP) 394

High Court of Andhra Pradesh
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE GHULAM MOHAMMED & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR
Martinez Montsant Joan
Versus
Union of India, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi represented by its Foreign Secretary & Others
Writ Petition SR No.61225 of 2009
Decided on : 25-06-2009

Advocates appeared:
For the Petitioner:Anandkumar Kapoor, Advocate. For the Respondents: -------

Headnote:

Foreigners Act, 1946 - Section 14 - Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 - Section 5 - Violation of Rules 11 and 12 - Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992 – Quash of Proceeding - The writ petitioner is Spanish National, holding passport No. X 804029 - The petitioner came to India via New Delhi on a student visa valid for a period of five years and got his name registered with Foreign Registration Officer, Gangtok, Sikkim and obtained a residential permit at Sikkim valid - The said permit was however, extended - As the petitioner was residing at Sai Kailash Apartments, 7th Floor, Flat No.701, Puttaparthy, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh without informing to the FRO, Anantapur about change of his residence to Puttaparthy from Sikkim and also without extending the residential permit beyond and tried to leave India from Bangalore to Bangkok, on the above circumstances, the petitioner was charged with violation of Rules 11 and 12 of the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992, and para 7 of the Foreigners Order, 1948 and also under section 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and thereafter he was arrested and was sent to judicial custody – Held, The action of the authorities depriving a person of his life and liberty must be reasonable and unarbitrary. However, a foreign national who holds an India Visa and staying in India without renewal of residential permit granted under the Foreigners Act and the Foreigners Order, is not entitled to enforce Fundamental Rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, inasmuch as the foreigner nationals residential permit is concerned, the right under Article 21 is limited in comparison with the right of a citizen under Article 21 of the Constitution - The rights granted either to a foreigner or to a citizen of India are subject to compelling state interests and permissible reasonable restriction which includes security of the nation and the constitutional governance – Petition dismissed

Judgment :-

Ghulam Mohammed, J.


The writ petitioner is Spanish National, holding passport No. X 804029. The petitioner came to India on 19-6-2006 via New Delhi on a student visa valid for a period of five years from 19-6-2006 to 18-6-2011 and got his name registered with Foreign Registration Officer, Gangtok, Sikkim and obtained a residential permit at Sikkim valid till 30-4-2007. The said permit was however, extended up to 30-4-2008. As the petitioner was residing at Sai Kailash Apartments, 7th Floor, Flat No.701, Puttaparthy, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh without informing to the FRO, Anantapur about change of his residence to Puttaparthy from Sikkim and also without extending the residential permit beyond 30-4-2008 and tried to leave India on 1-6-2009 from Bangalore to Bangkok, on the above circumstances, the petitioner was charged with violation of Rules 11 and 12 of the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992, and para 7 of the Foreigners Order, 1948 and also under section 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and thereafter he was arrested on 4-6-2009 and was sent to judicial custody.


Hence, this Writ Petition has been filed seeking direction to the 3rd respondent-Jail Superintendent, Central Prison, Chanchalguda, Hyderabaad to release the petitioner by declaring the Rules 11 and 12 of the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992 and para 7 of the Foreigners Order, 1949 as illegal, unfair, unjust and without authority of law and unconstitutional being violative of Articles 21, 25 and 51 and also in disregard to International Law and in consequence to quash the Crime No.58 of 2009 pending before the Puttaparti (U) P.S., Anantapur.

Mr. Anand Kumar Kapoor, learned counsel for the petitioner contended that Rule 11 and 12 of the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992 are unconstitutional as they violate Article 21 of the Constitution of India and also they are in derogation of Article 25 of the Constitution of India. Learned counsel submits that as the petitioner came to India to study and practice 'Vajrayana Buddhism' and that he was practicing the teachings of 'Buddhism' taught by his Gurus, therefore, imposition of the limitation of travel on a Foreigner who is holding valid visa is nothing but an archaic and unreasonable restriction on his freedom to travel within India and abroad, and the same is in clear derogation of "Declaration of Human Rights of Individuals who are not Nationals of the Country in which They Live, 1985, which was adopted by United Nations General Assembly by Resolution 40/144 of 13 December 1985". It is further contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner who is already charged under section 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 and the said Act covers the entire gamut and arena with regard to Registration of Foreigners; that by making rule on the same subject of Registration of Foreigner under the Foreigners Act, 1946, the petitioners cannot be double charged for the same alleged offence, as such section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 cannot be invoked against the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner further contended that as per the remand report, the petitioner submitted a letter to the FRO, Anantapur and that arrest was caused on his request. When the said request is itself pending, the question of committing of the alleged offences, does not arise as the petitioner's application is stated to be dated 2nd June, 2009, whereas the arrest was effected on 4th June, 2009. That by itself, it is submitted, shows that a crime has been registered even before consideration of the request of the petitioner that such a act by itself reflect that the petitioner's right to liberty is being deprived in an unjust and unfair manner, and the procedure followed for such deprivation is clearly unreasonable in the facts and circumstances of the case. It is also contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner that with






































































































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