Panaji: The Bombay high court quashed the deportation order issued against a 47-year-old Austrian national, holding that she was not given an opportunity to be heard before the decision was taken.The woman arrived in India in Jan 2020 on a tourist visa valid until Dec 2020. Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, her visa was extended from time to time.During her stay, she was made an accused in a cheque-bouncing case and submitted that she was unable to leave India as the case was pending. In Sep last year, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Pernem, convicted her in the case, following which she filed an appeal against the order.The woman stated that she had applied for a visa extension but was granted only exit permits. A final exit permit issued in June 2024 directed her to leave India by July that year.She subsequently applied afresh for an extension, stating that the cheque-bounce case was still pending adjudication. However, she said she received no response from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and continued to await a decision.According to her, in Aug this year, police suddenly visited her and asked her to accompany them to the FRRO office in Panaji. There, she was issued a deportation order and informed for the first time that her visa-extension application had been deleted.She contended that the application had been deleted without any hearing or opportunity being given to her to present her case.
