NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has denied permission to a Chinese national woman seeking permission to stay in India until her citizenship application is decided by the Centre after taking note of discrepancies and anomalies found in her details and lack of valid documents or employment in India.
Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia submitted that the visa application of the petitioner, Sheeni Tong, was closed due to information received from intelligence agencies. Justice Prathiba M Singh permitted Tong, currently residing in Jaipur, to leave the country by January 15, 2023 under conditions such as she should remain in Jaipur till her departure from India and not travel to any other city.
“If, however, the undertaking and affidavit is not submitted on 12th December, 2022 to the authorities in Jaipur, the protection granted to the petitioner shall automatically stand vacated without any further orders,” the court added.
Tong was moving the high court seeking directions to set aside the Leave India Notice of the Ministry of Home Affairs and permission to stay back.
As per the counsel’s submission, business visas have been issued repeatedly to the petitioner and the same has been extended from time to time. It was also submitted that no coercive measures was taken against the petitioner considering that it was Covid-19, when the notice was initially issued against her.
The Chinese national has stayed in India, past her business visa’s stipulated period of 180 days. Thereafter, upon an enquiry by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Jaipur, when the petitioner could not show valid documents, exit permits were issued.