The bench while directing the authorities to verify all the documents said that a decision be taken at the earliest, though no time limit was fixed.Justice Kant asked the petitioner’s counsel, “How did the father come to India? You have said he was in Pakistan.”Kishore said he came to India in 1987 on a valid visa and surrendered his Pakistani passport at the border.One of the sons, who was appearing virtually, claimed the father came to India from Muzaffarabad, from the other side of Kashmir.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said it would be appropriate that the petitioners approach the authorities concerned first so that their claims were verified.”Let them approach the authorities,” Mehta said while assuring the bench that no coercive action would be taken against them till a decision was arrived at on the documents.”It was a case, where these people have overstayed the visa,” he submitted.The bench, however, said the oral undertaking might pave way to uncertainties.The top court was hearing a plea by Ahmed Tarek Butt and his five family members who claimed they were detained and taken to the Wagah border for deportation to Pakistan despite having valid Indian documents.The bench noted that following the Pahalgam attack, the Centre in a notification dated April 25 has revoked the visa of Pakistani nationals except for those provided in the order itself and gave a specific timeline for their deportation.
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