CJI NV Ramana tells AG Venugopal to examine plea seeking evacuation of Indians from Ukraine

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Attorney General K.K. Venugopal to consider the petition seeking evacuation of Indians stuck in Ukraine, while stating in a lighter tone, “Should I tell Russian President to stop the war?”

The matter was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice (CJI) N.V. Ramana by Senior Counsel A.M. Dar.

Dar said this was a fresh petition regarding evacuation of Indians from the Ukraine-Romania border, most of which were girls.

“I read somewhere that it is being asked, what is CJI doing? Should I give direction to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war?,” 

-asked CJI Ramana.

“The temperature is minus 7 degree Celsius. There are around 30 students, mostly girls, they are stuck there for the past six days,” the Counsel said.

The CJI then asked the lawyer to wait, stating that the Bench will seek the assistance of Attorney General K.K. Venugopal.

“We have all the sympathies. We will ask the Attorney General to assist us. You wait, we will take it up,” the CJI assured.

When the AG appeared, the CJI asked him to render necessary help in the matter. The AG asked if the students, in respect of  whom the petition has been filed, have crossed the Ukraine border.

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Senior Advocate Dar submitted that they haven’t crossed.

“The Government of India has sent a Minister to Romania to make sure once they cross they come back. So I want to know what’s the problem”, the AG submitted.

“They haven’t crossed as yet, where they are… it is in Ukraine, they weren’t allowed to travel, that’s the problem,” Dar said.
 
CJI Ramana asked the Counsel to give the copy of the petition to the AG. “Please look and see if you can help”, the CJI told the AG.