Libyan lecturer takes visa plea to SC

A Libyan lecturer told to go back to Tripoli to apply for extension of his Indian visa has approached the Supreme Court, saying the home ministry rule to go back to his strife-torn country could get him killed. Aiad Amar Saad Mohamed’s visa expires on Wednesday.

A Libyan lecturer told to go back to Tripoli to apply for extension of his Indian visa has approached the Supreme Court, saying the home ministry rule to go back to his strife-torn country could get him killed. Aiad Amar Saad Mohamed's visa expires on Wednesday.

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Home ministry officials have directed Mohamed to go back to the Indian embassy in Tripoli to file his visa application. But there are no flights plying to Libya.

A home ministry official, suggested Mohamed should have used internal appeal mechanisms for relief. "Of course, we understand that it is not possible for him to return to Tripoli in the present situation. If he had sought relief from senior officers, there would have been no need to move the court."

What added to his woes was that he could not even seek intervention from his own embassy in India as Libyan ambassador to India Ali al-Essawi and other staffers had resigned.

Mohamed has been working with the Seventh of April University, Zawia, Libya as a lecturer. He applied for a PhD from Patna University on a scholarship and applied for a research visa at the Indian Embassy in Tripoli.

"Since there was no development about the notification (from Patna University) the petitioner approached the Ranchi University," said Mohamed's counsel Shinoj Narayanan. Another counsel Ranjith Marar said a writ petition was filed in the SC as the home ministry asked Mohamed to apply for a visa in Tripoli.