Gokarna cave case: SC scraps Israeli man’s plea seeking to halt repatriation of ‘daughters’
Judges question Israeli businessman’s claims that he is the father of the two girls, ask what he was doing in Goa when his family was living in a cave in Karnataka
The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition of an Israeli man claiming that he was the father of two children, who were recently found living in a cave near Gokarna, with their Russian mother.
Questioning the petitioner’s intentions and calling them dubious, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymala Bagchi asked the man, Dror Sholmo Goldstein, an Israeli businessman living in Goa, what he was doing in Goa while his family was “living in a cave”.
Also read: My son's ashes taken away, says Russian woman found in Gokarna cave; father of kids traced
Rescue of Russian woman, children
On July 11 this year, Nina Kutina, a 40-year-old Russian national, was found living in a cave in a forest in Ramatirtha Hills near Gokarna, in Uttara Kannada district, without any formal travel documents. The mother and daughters were rescued by local police and placed in a foreign nationals’ detention centre in Tumakuru.
Later, the Russian embassy provided emergency travel documents to help the trio return to Russia.
‘Father’ opposes repatriation
Goldstein, who was residing in Goa, however, filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court claiming that he was the father of those children. He argued that allowing their cross-border movement would violate the rights of children under international treaties.
The high court, however, questioned him why his family was staying in a cave if he truly supported them. Noting that the mother had expressed willingness to go back to Russia, the court dismissed Goldstein’s plea.
Also read: Karnataka: Ex-husband seeks shared custody after Russian woman, kids found in Gokarna cave
Goldstein had thereafter challenged the high court order in the Supreme Court.
SC calls petition ‘publicity stunt’
During the hearing on Monday (October 17), Justices Kant and Bagchi sharply interrogated his motive and source of income.
They asked: “You are an Israeli citizen — what work do you do here in India? You go to Nepal to renew your visa and then return to Goa. What were you doing there? What is your source of income?”
Also read: Russian woman not an anomaly; foreigners often live in Gokarna caves
The bench also questioned what the petitioner was doing while the children lived in the cave, noting there was no proof he was supporting the family.
They suggested his petition might have been filed for publicity. The bench also asked why he couldn’t be deported back to Israel if needed.
Eventually, on the request of his counsel, the Supreme Court permitted the petition to be withdrawn. During the proceedings, Justice Kant remarked poignantly: “This country is becoming a sanctuary for all — whoever comes wants to settle here.”
(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)