Govt defends cancellation of US journalist's OCI card, says reasons secret

Raphael Satter obtained the OCI status through his marriage and claimed he visited India for family purposes

The Union government on Wednesday defended its decision to revoke the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card of US-based journalist Raphael Satter, telling the Delhi High Court that he had maligned Indian institutions in the international arena through his journalistic activities.

 

"It has been reported by security agencies that Raphael has been noted for acts of maliciously creating adverse and biased opinions against Indian institutions in the international arena through his journalistic activities, and a discreet LOC was opened against him," the ministry of home affairs said in an affidavit.

 

The government said the nature of the information against Satter is ‘secret’ and cannot be disclosed to the petitioner.

 

 

Who is Raphael Satter?

 

Raphael Satter, a US-based cybersecurity journalist for Reuters, is a US citizen and has family in India.

 

Satter obtained the OCI status through his marriage and claimed he visited India for family purposes.

 

The Appin defamation case

 

When Satter’s OCI card was revoked, the government did not cite any reason for its decision. However, The Guardian said that it coincided with a defamation case against him in India, linked to his Reuters investigation titled ‘How an Indian startup hacked the world’.

 

The report alleged that an Indian cybersecurity firm, Appin, developed into a “hack-for-hire powerhouse” targeting high-profile individuals worldwide. The co-founder of Appin, Rajat Khare, denied the allegations and later sued Satter for defamation. 

 

What is an OCI card?

 

The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI ) card is a scheme that allows multiple-entry, multipurpose, life-long visas for visiting India. The scheme was introduced with an amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, in August 2005.

 

"An OCI cardholder is a foreigner, and an OCI card is a life-long visa issued to such a foreigner. Every country has a sovereign right to refuse entry into its territory to any individual whom it may consider undesirable, and informing about the same, inasmuch as entry into any country's territory is not a matter of right, even if the person holds a valid visa," the government said in the affidavit.

 

How can OCI cards be cancelled?

 

As per sub-section (1) of section 7A of the Citizenship Act, the government has the power to cancel the OCI card of any person if it is satisfied with certain conditions, such as disaffection towards the Constitution of India or if it was obtained by fraud.

 

The government can also cancel it if it deems it necessary to do so in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of India, friendly relations of India with any foreign country, or in the interests of the general public.