Can't allow India to be maligned globally: Delhi HC on UK-academic Amrit Wilson's OCI card cancellation

The Delhi High Court on Monday remarked that it cannot allow the country to be maligned on the international platform.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav made the remark after examining a sealed cover report furnished by the Central government, detailing the reasons for cancelling UK-based academic Amrit Wilson’s Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. 

The Court noted that the intelligence report alleged that Wilson participated in anti-India activities. 

“We should not be such a tolerant State that we allow our own country to be criticised… maligned at international platform. There are some IB [Intelligence Bureau] reports against you. There are not only two tweets, there are allegations that you participated in anti-India activities. There are IB reports, I have seen it,” Justice Kaurav said. 

Wilson is an 82-year-old British-Indian writer and journalist. In 2023, the government cancelled her OCI card, accusing her of involvement in “multiple anti-India activities” and “detrimental propaganda.” 

She challenged this decision before the Delhi High Court, arguing the cancellation was illegal, arbitrary and made without proper application of mind. The Court had issued notice to the government on the plea in May 2023.

Today, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais appeared for Wilson and argued that the show-cause notice issued to her for cancellation of the OCI card was bereft of any details. 

He said that initially, the government referred to a tweet of hers and one article on the farmers’ protest and another on Kashmir, but they are not the basis on which the show cause notice was issued to her. 

Pais added that none of Wilson’s work were anti-India.

Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Nidhi Raman appeared for the Central government and stated that whatever material that was in the public domain has been provided to Wilson but there are some inputs from the intelligence agencies, and they are being handed over to the Court in a sealed envelope. 

Raman added that the issue concerns integrity and sovereignty of India. 

Pais said that the practise of sealed cover has been deprecated by the Supreme Court. 

After examining the sealed cover report, the Bench noted that the allegations against Wilson were serious and remarked that the country cannot allowed to be criticised on international platforms.

It then directed Wilson and the government to file their submissions in the case. The Court will hear the matter next on August 27.