About 40 foreigners to be deported for undesirable acts NT Staff Reporter
Panaji Feb 7: Some of the regular foreigners visiting Goa for the past several years are being identified for deportation as their activities were found to be "undesirable" and the state police through home department have initiated the process to ban them from being issuing fresh visas to re-enter the country through Indian missions aboard. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Mr Ujwal Mishra told The Navhind Times that the process of identifying some of the foreigners for deportation has been taken seriously by the police. The police are also collecting evidence of some of the foreigners who are suspected to be involved in money laundering, accumulating property, drug peddling and other illegal activities. Mr Mishra said the list of few foreigners for deportation has been prepared based on the cases booked against them especially in drug cases and other criminal activities. The cases are being put before the home department for further action on deportation of these foreigners. Besides, he said the police are forwarding the case history of these identified foreigners to the Indian mission in their respective countries so that the fresh visas should not be issued to them. Sources in the department said that nearly 40 foreigners have been short-listed for deportation and their papers are being processed to communicate to the Indian missions to ban their re-entry into the country. The officials sources said that there are 218 foreigners on business visas from several countries engaged in business activities in Goa. Besides, many foreigners coming on the tourist visas are also venturing into restaurant business finding it a lucrative trade by engaging a local partner along the coastal belt. Two Russians on tourist visas recently were found running restaurants along Arambol belt and the Goa police has booked cases against them for violation of the visa conditions. The business activities undertaken by these two Russians tourists were reported by the police station to the foreigners branch, which had registered the cases against them for violation of visa condition. Majority from among the foreigners, who were deported to their respective countries in recent past are from Nigeria. The deportation orders were issued after they were found contravening the visa conditions. The state police has recently sought sanction of funds for deporting two Nigerian nationals who have no money to return to their country. Besides, the police department has proposed to establish a detention camp for keeping those identified foreigners for deportation till the period their travel formalities are completed. The state police has issued a circular to all its police station asking to furnish information pertaining to foreigners' business activities and verification of their passport and visas. The information available from the foreigner's branch of the Goa police revealed that the foreigners on business visas are Britishers, Greek, Dutch, Germans, Swiss, Americans, Israeli, Brazilians, Italians, French, Canadians and Norwegians. Most of them are engaged in restaurant business especially along the coastal belt or organise fairs or dealing in garment and antique business. Besides there are 2,414 registered foreigners staying in Goa for a period of over six months. Many of them are stated to be of Goan origin, holding passport of different countries. A senior official pointed out that the Union government should formulate a policy in consultation with the state governments, while issuing business visas. This is because the foreigners are especially competing with the locals in small business activities like restaurants along the coastal belt in Goa. Besides, some of them have started businesses like night parties, which are often disliked by locals. The business visas are issued for the period of one year to five years and are extendible. The foreigners on business visas have to establish company, duly registered under the Company Act and later seek registration and avail the resident permit from the police. Besides, they have to seek the Reserve Bank of India's clearance. All visas, except tourist visas are extendible and nearly 1,000 foreigners on an average apply for extending their visas on some or the other pretext to stay in Goa. Among these majority are of Goan origin. The powers of extending the visas are vested on the state home ministry. Some of them are seeking the PIO card which allows them to stay in Goa for 15 years.
