Gujarat High Court Seeks Centre's Response On 9 Indians Missing On Way From Dominica To USA

The division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha P Mayee directed, “Taking note of the concern raised in the petition and the communications provided by the learned counsel appearing for the respondent No.2, we require the respondent No.2 namely the Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to coordinate with the concerned Ministry/High Commission of India in Franace, Dominica to make an effort to find out whereabouts of 9 missing Indian Citizens since February, 2023.”

The bench directed for the affidavit of the Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to be filed on the next date fixed i.e. 18.09.2023, to bring on record the results of the action taken by them.

Advocate Kshitij Amin, representing the Ministry of External Affairs, shared certain instructions he had received, along with a communication dated August 22, 2023, sent by SRD Saint Martin & Saint Barthelemy, French Gendarmerie, French Police Authorities, addressed to Mr. Kalyan Kumar Halder.

The communication asserted that the nine missing persons, the subject of this petition, were originally supposed to arrive in Saint Martin, based on information provided by their families. Their intended journey included stops in the Caribbean, specifically Dominica, Mostserrat, St Kitts, and a return to Dominica, however, their whereabouts remain unknown.

The Court noted that the communication dispatched to the French authorities indicated that these nine Indian Citizens were missing since February 3, 2023, while sailing from the Commonwealth of Dominica to Saint Martin, and concerns have arisen that they may be stranded or detained on one of the islands in the Caribbean region or within the Overseas Territories of France.

Among the persons who have gone missing are Patel Ankitkumar Kantibhai, Patel Kirankumar Tulsibhai, Patel Avni Jitendrakumar, Patel Sudhirkumar Hasmukhbhai, Patel Pratikbhai Hemantkumar, Patel Nikhilkumar Prahladbhai, Rabari Bharatbhai Babarbhai, Vasava Champa Fatoshibhai and Vaghela Dhruvrajsingh Baldevsingh.

According to the PIL, these nine individuals possessed valid visas issued by the Governments of Dominica and Antigua. The PIL further states that they initially arrived in Dominica and, after spending some time there, were en route to Antigua. A small vessel from Antigua had picked them up from Dominica for their onward journey. They were also reportedly seeking to enter the United States and apply for asylum.

Further, according to the PIL, the last contact between the missing individuals and their family members occurred on February 3, 2023.