Russian mother, daughters in cave case allowed to return home
What's the story
The Karnataka High Court has allowed a Russian woman and her two minor daughters, who were living in a cave in coastal Karnataka, to return home. Justice BM Shyam Prasad passed the order while hearing a petition from Israeli national Dror Shlomo Goldstein, who claims to be the father of the children. Goldstein had sought a court directive against their immediate deportation.
Discovery details
Family lived in cave for nearly 2 months
The woman, identified as Nina Kutina, was discovered on July 11 in a cave at Ramatirtha Hills near Gokarna in Kumta taluk. She and her daughters had been living there for nearly two months without valid travel or residence documents. Goldstein had filed a complaint at the Panaji police station in Goa last December after failing to locate his children in India.
Travel documents
Russian consulate issued emergency travel documents
During Friday's hearing, the court noted that the Russian consulate had issued emergency travel documents (ETDs) for Kutina and her daughters, valid until October 9. It also took note of Kutina's communication to the consulate expressing her wish to return to Russia at the earliest. Goldstein's counsel opposed deportation on the grounds of the children's best interests while custody proceedings were pending.
Welfare emphasis
Court emphasizes on child welfare
The court observed that Goldstein had not provided a satisfactory explanation for the family's isolation in a cave. Emphasizing child welfare, the bench said Kutina's request to return home and Russia's readiness to facilitate it outweighed other considerations. At an earlier hearing on August 22, Goldstein's legal team had invoked the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child while Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Arvind Kamath assured care at Foreigners' Restriction Centre for Women.
Parentage confirmation
DNA tests to establish parentage of younger child
The ASG had also clarified that deportation would not be done immediately as DNA tests were pending to establish parentage of the younger child. On Friday, the ASG informed the court that DNA results for the second daughter were received and shared with Russia. This led to Russian citizenship being issued along with ETDs for their return travel.