YouTuber Karl Rock blacklisted for violation of visa condition, Centre tells Delhi HC

The court said that while grant of visa was the prerogative of the Centre, it has to be reasonable and be communicated to the party

The Centre on Friday defended before the Delhi High Court its decision to blacklist YouTube vlogger Karl Rock, saying he was conducting business on a spouse visa in violation of conditions.

“He has been blacklisted for visa violation. He was conducting business on a spouse visa," advocate Anurag Ahluwalia, appearing for the Centre told a bench of Justice Rekha Palli.

The court, however, asked the Centre to file a response within three weeks on a petition by Manisha Malik, the wife of the vlogger, against the "arbitrary and unreasonable" decision to deny a visa to her husband to enter India.

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The court said though the grant of visa was the prerogative of the Centre, it has to be reasonable and be communicated to the party.

“You may be justified but they have to know. It is the prerogative of the government but they have to be justifiable,” the court said while issuing notice to the Centre.

The court further said if there was any confidential information, it was open to the Centre to furnish it in a sealed cover.

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Counsel for Malik, advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi said his client received no word from the government on the denial of visa and while exiting India in October last year, the visa was simply stamped “cancelled without prejudice”.

"I asked for an extension and instead they gave me an exit permit," Ayyubi stated. He added that during his stay in India, the vlogger even donated plasma twice after recovering from Covid-19.