A Mapusa court has deemed the arrest of a Ukrainian national, who was allegedly staying in India without a valid visa, as unnecessary. The court observed that the police should have instead referred him to the foreigners regional registration office (FRRO) to complete the necessary formalities.
Details of the Case
The 41-year-old Ukrainian national, Dmytro Stepanov, was stopped near the Mandrem police station and asked to produce his documents. Despite fully cooperating with the police, he was arrested. Stepanov informed the court that he was unable to return to Ukraine because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Legal Arguments
Stepanov's advocate, K Poulekar, stated that his client had already applied for a visa through a friend. Poulekar argued that the police could have forwarded Stepanov to the FRRO office and granted him time to complete the required formalities instead of arresting him.
The investigating officer noted that Stepanov had entered India on a valid passport and visa, but the visa later expired. He also mentioned that the accused had been issued a UN Refugee Agency card, which remains valid until July 2027.
Court's Decision
The court granted bail to Stepanov and directed him to expedite the process of obtaining a valid visa from the FRRO office. He must also present proof of this to the investigating officer. The court emphasized that the arrest was unnecessary and that the police should have handled the matter through proper administrative channels.
