Mumbai: Implementing Government’s Make in India initiative, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office has asked as many as 60 Chinese expert delegates in the India visiting their mobile phone manufacturing plants in Daman and Silvassa were asked to immediately leave India to avoid violations of their business visas.
Reacting to government’s notice, the mobile phone manufacturing Pacific Cyber Technology approached the Bombay high court on Wednesday to question the validity of the “drastic notices” served to delegates, TOI reports.
Justices B P Dharmadhikari and Sarang Kotwal of the Bombay High Court, sensing the urgency of the case posted it on Friday.
Appearing for the company Counsel Nausher Kohli had sought urgent hearing of the case before the Christmas vacation as the Chinese nationals have been directed to leave India immediately.
Some of the nationals have already left even though their visas are still valid.
Kohli said the Chinese nationals were visiting plants of Pacific Cyber Technology on business visas.
“The notices have been issued to 60 Chinese nationals without providing them and petitioners an opportunity to be heard.”
Pacific Cyber Technology’s petition stated the nationals were sent by the company’s joint venture partner, its customers and suppliers from abroad, and the plants are recipients of the ministry of electronics and information technology’s modified special incentive package scheme.
These plants design, develop and assemble mobile phones and are “committed to the government’s Make in India movement,” it further stated.
The FRRO issued notices to 60 Chinese nationals on December 15 who were on 180-day business visas in India.
The notice read: “Consequent upon the field inspection on December 4 at M/s Pacific Cyber technology Pvt Ltd, Athal, you…were found working on machine, therefore you have violated the condition laid down for B-1 visa granted to you.”
The FRRO officer, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, added, “Now, you are hereby directed to leave India immediately for misuse of B-visa, otherwise action will be initiated against you under Foreigners Act and Rules.”
The company’s majority shareholders are based in Hong Kong while it’s registered office is in Mumbai while its mobile manufacturing units are in Daman and Silvassa.
The company has so far manufactured “5.5 million phones” in the past seven months.
“Experts visit the plants to impart training on running highly sophisticated machines effectively and to detect defective machines on the machine line itself,” stated the petition.
The petition said their “entire industry is dependent on such visits by technical experts and representatives”.
And seeking expert advice or training is considered “an essential norm” in the mobile phone industry for the past two years.