US born woman seeks stay on 'Leave India notice'

A US born woman staying in Kodaikanal since 1980, has filed a plea in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking to stay the order of the Under Secretary (Public-Foreigners-I), Tamil Nadu, asking  Dindigul District Collector to serve "Leave India Notice" on her.

Justice K.Chandru has posted the case for hearing on September 4, seeking explanation from the Government.

The petitioner, Norelli Bachelet Patrizia, who is running Aeon Centre of Cosmology, submitted she had come to India in 1971, attracted by philosophy of Sri Aurobindo,and had moved to Kodaikanal after staying in Puducherry for nine years.

She claimed that she was also running a Dairy farm,and provided jobs to 30 families.

She alleged that she was issued 'Leave India notice' in 2009 due to machinations of some vested interests.At that time her husband's brother's niece, Michelle Bachelet was the President of Chile.

Then the Government realised that there was no material against her and dropped the matter.Since the extension of Visa, she had been staying in Kodaikanal.

The petitioner claimed that the Under Secretary, Tamil Nadu had called up the Under Secretary, Home Affairs, Central Government,to issue the 'Leave India notice' to her following which the District Collector was asked to serve it on her.

Though the Union Home Ministry's communication,asking her to leave India, had been quoted in the communication given to her,she did not get the copy of the Home Ministry Under secretary's communication to the Tamil Nadu official.

The petitioner said the reason for asking her to leave India was that she was involved in a criminal case in 1992.However, the case had ended in her acquittal on July 27,2003.

She had applied for Indian citizenship in 1986,and was not aware of the outcome of her application.

She said she had been staying and worked in India for 41 years.Besides, her citizenship application had not been disposed of, she said and sought to quash the order asking her to leave India.