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Judgment
Gopinath P., J
The petitioner has approached this court seeking a direction to the respondents to take effective measures to trace out the whereabouts the son of the petitioner who was working in Doha and was missing from the year 1997 onwards. On 06-02-2018 an additional statement was filed on behalf of the respondents, where it is stated as follows;
“3. In this connection, this is to state that the Embassy has been actively following up, as per the local procedure, with the local authorities to seek the whereabouts of Shri Kadavathu Kasim Sukkoor, holder of Indian passport No. N364430. In this regard, the Mission has sent Diplomatic letters to the local government on 21.03.2011, 21.11.2011, 20.06.2012, 05.08.2012, 19.11.2012, 12.02.2013, 03.08.2014 and 10.08.2017.
In addition, to the aforesaid initiatives efforts were also taken through the following methods:-
(1) Posting information on the Facebook page and Twitter handle of this Mission on 21 January 2018, which has about 46,000 and 26,000 followers respectively. A true copy of the notice posted on the official Facebook page of the Indian Embassy in Riyadh dated 21.01.2018 is produced herewith and marked as Annexure R5(a). A true posted on official twitter account of the copy of the notice Embassy dated 21.01.2018 is produced herewith and marked as Annexure R5(b).
(ii) An advertisement was also placed in local language newspaper Ar Riyadh on 05 February 2018.
(iii) Spreading information amongst the network of community social workers and volunteers to trace the whereabouts of Shri Sukkoor.
However, despite all these efforts the Mission has not received any information from any quarter or from the local authorities so far. It is also submitted that the Embassy officials are leaving no stones unturned in tracing Sukkoor and will be taking appropriate follow up action accordingly.”
Thereafter this court by order dated 29-11-2021 directed as follows;
“Above writ petition is filed seeking a direction to the respondents to take effective measures to trace out the son of the petitioner, who proceeded to Doha under a valid visa and thereafter found missing from 1997 onwards. Pursuant to the directions issued by this Court, a statement as well as an additional statement has been filed showing the steps taken by the respondents to trace out the son of the petitioner. The additional statement was filed as early as on 06.02.2018. Therefore, I feel it appropriate to direct the 3rd respondent to file a statement detailing the steps taken thereafter to trace the missing son of the petitioner, especially the steps taken by the additional 5th respondent in this regard. The learned Assistant Solicitor General of India appearing for respondents 3 and 5, seeks a month's time to file a statement as directed above.
Post after one month.”
A further statement has been filed on behalf of respondents where it is stated as follows;
“2. The Mission has been following up the matter with the local authorities to find the whereabouts of Shri Kadavathu Kasim Sukkoor. The Mission had sent diplomatic letters to the local government via letter No. RIY/CW/235/4/2011(118) dated (21/03/2011, 21/11/2011, 05/08/2012), letter No. RIY/CW/235/4/2012 (596) dated (20/06/2012, 19/11/2012, 12/02/2013, 03/08/2014) and IND-1213 dated 10/08/2017. The Mission did not receive any response from the Government Therefore, Mission had again, sent a Note Verbale IND-36 dated 07/01/2024.
In addition, the Mission had also made efforts to search his whereabouts via the social media handles such as Facebook page and Twitter accounts which has about 94,000 and 1.5 lakh followers respectively. An advertisement was also placed on local newspaper Al-Riyadh on 05/02/2018.
The Mission also had exerted its efforts to trace Shri Kadavathu Kasim Sukkoor through network of community social workers and volunteers.
Despite all these efforts, the Mission did not receive any information neither from the local authorities nor from any quarter. On 17.01.2024 on enquiry with the local authorities it has been learnt that Shri. Kadavath Kasim Sukkoor (Ppt No. N364430) has left Qatar on 23.11.1999 and no further details on the petitioners son are available.”
It is clear from the statement dated 22-01-2024 that the son of the petitioner left Qatar on 23-11-1999 and no information of his whereabouts could be ascertained thereafter.
In the light of the above facts and taking into consideration of the contents of additional statement dated 06-02-2018 and further statement filed on 22-01-2024 it cannot be held that the respondents have not taken efforts to trace out the whereabouts of the deceased son of the petitioner. In such circumstances no further directions need be issued by this court.
Writ petition will stand closed.