KOCHI: A day after two foreign journalists - a French national and a Briton - were taken into custody for trespassing on the Government Law College campus here, the police on Thursday served notice on the homestay owners who provided them accommodation without submitting their details to the Foreigner Registration authorities. “As per the rule, those accommodating the foreigners should submit their details to the authorities within 24 hours.
Based on the information, the police will monitor the activities of the foreigners. It is a major offence on the part of the homestay owners,” said the police. The Foreigners Regional Registration Officer( FRRO) to whom the police handed over the duo on Wednesday, granted a conditional release upon tendering the apology. “Before granting a conditional release we directed them to delete the footage they had shot from the college. A strict direction was also issued asking them not to engage in journalistic activities in the country without prior sanction from the authorities concerned,” a police officer said.
The police had taken action against the two scribes for unauthorised filming at the Law College on Wednesday. Alban Alvarez, who works as a correspondent for the French news channel FRANCE24 in India, and Derek Mac Donald were taken into custody on the basis of the complaint lodged by the college principal. Upon verifying the details of the foreign journalists, the police found the press card issued by the National Press Information Bureau to Alvarez had expired on December 31. The tourist visa of Mc Donald had also expired.