Case Law Details
Randa Chehab Vs Union of India (Delhi High Court)
Introduction: The Randa Chehab vs. Union of India case, adjudicated by the Delhi High Court, revolves around the deportation of Randa Chehab, a United States citizen, from Trivandrum, Kerala Airport on 28.11.2022. The petitioner challenged her deportation, claiming it to be arbitrary, unreasonable, illegal, and unconstitutional. The core issue at hand was whether the violation of conditions attached to a business visa could justify deportation and subsequent blacklisting.
Background: Randa Chehab, a professional yoga teacher with a Master’s Degree in Global Health, held a valid visa issued by the Consulate General of India, Indian High Commission, San Francisco, USA. Her involvement in charitable activities, including raising funds for cyclone victims in 2020, added a humanitarian dimension to the case.
Chehab had a history of obtaining various visas, including tourist visas and a business visa valid from 20.06.2019 to 06.2024. She incorporated a private limited company in Trivandrum, Kerala, engaged in charitable work and also established a non-profit organization named ‘India Water Project Inc.’ in the USA.
Deportation and Blacklisting: Upon arriving in Trivandrum on 28.11.2022, Chehab was promptly deported to Chicago, USA, without a disclosed reason. The subsequent rejection of her tourist visa application and blacklisting were attributed to her involvement in public fund collection during her visit on a business visa, a violation of the prescribed conditions.
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