MUMBAI: Bombay High Court recently directed Centre to decide a Yemeni national’s application dated Aug 30, 2024, for extension of visa expeditiously within eight weeks. The man, Fahd Saeed, came to India on a student visa in 2007 to study in Pune and married an Indian national in 2011. He has been without a visa since 2014, said the Centre, as his visa given to a spouse of Indian nations required registration within 14 days of entry, which special public prosecutor Rui Rodrigues, who appeared for the FRRO (Foreigner Regional Registration Office), said he did not apply for and made a first violation. But Rodrigues also made a very categorical statement that authorities have not found any material to show or indicate that Fahd is a threat to national security, the HC bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Sandesh Patil noted. The bench added that in such background and since he has a family here with two small children, the authorities to consider his plea and if extension of visa is granted he must make necessary application under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, which shall also be considered on urgent basis. The HC, however, added that if rejected, no coercive action to be taken against the Yemeni national for four more weeks to enable him to appeal.Harjinder Kaur, 34, filed a petition to seek relief for her husband. Initially, it was filed as a habeas corpus plea alleging his illegal custody by the authorities and to quash a Nov 2023 order of Deputy Commissioner of Police, EOW and Cyber, Addl Charge Special Branch, Pune City, which directed him not to move out of the premises of Kondhwa Police Station. That stage has since passed, the HC said, and he is under no restriction as of today. However, the petitioner’s husband’s stay in India without any valid documents is still a contentious issue and her lawyer Wesley Menezes sought orders for early decision on his visa extension plea, which he made in 2015. The plea before the HC said due to conditions in Yemen he had to take a passport from Kuala Lampur and he had no intention to stay illegally in India.Menezes also submitted, “In between, he faced a criminal prosecution in India from which, he was ultimately acquitted.”The HC also hear state additional public prosecutor Mahalaxmi G.The wife said if visa is not extended the family would be separated. The HC said authorities undoubtedly can take this possibility into consideration. “Therefore, the law will have to take its own course and authorities ill have to act within four corners of law with humanitarian ground as a background,” the HC said after Centre said the 2024 visa extension plea was pending due to pendency of the petition and submitted that if court passes directions the FRRO will consider his plea in a time-bound manner.

Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed participation of the men’s national team at the four-nation Unity Cup in London where Nigeria (world no 21) and Jamaica (71) are expected to be the highest-ranked participating countries.Nigeria surprisingly missed out on qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the playoff stage, while Jamaica were one win away from the competition, until they lost a nervy final round qualifier against DR Congo on TuesdayThe two teams are expected to be the biggest attractions at the Unity Cup which will be played from May 26-30.Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago took part in last year’s tournament while Republic of Ireland, Nigeria and Jamaica featured in the original Unity Cup held in the summer of 2004.“The Unity Cup features nations with large communities in the UK,” a senior official told TOI on Wednesday. “India have been invited for the first time.” There is no word yet on the fourth participating team, though it’s likely to be from Africa.The Unity Cup is a knockout tournament with the semifinal winners moving to the final while the losing teams will feature in the clash for third place.The Indian football team’s first visit to England was at the 1948 London Olympics. The last full-fledged tour was in 2000 when the Bhaichung Bhutia-captained side lost against Fulham (0-2), drew goalless against West Bromwich Albion and concluded the trip by recording a 1-0 victory against Bangladesh in Leicester.“India has a large community in the UK so the team is expected to attract a good crowd,” said another official.India defeated Hong Kong 2-1 in their final AFC Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifier in Kochi on Tuesday. It was the first win for Khalid Jamil’s side, made possible by debutant Australia-born Ryan Williams’ fourth-minute opener.The Bengaluru FC winger plied his trade at Fulham during the early stages of his career and will now return as a key player for India.“Everybody worked very hard, and we got the result we wanted. Credit to the players. They have been working very hard. They are playing as a good team, which is important because we need to develop more,” said Jamil.

Chennai: The state highways department has initiated the long-pending widening of Sardar Patel Road to a length of 2.5km from Taluk Office Road junction to Madhya Kailash. The works worth 45 crores, which began recently and is going on in full-swing, will be finished by May.The project has gathered pace over the past two weeks, with land acquisition carried out from Anna University to facilitate the expansion of the four-lane stretch into six-lane. In multiple parts next to IIT Madras, Kotturpuram junction and beyond, the highway has already claimed the land, expanded the stretch with sand and is yet to relay the road. The expansion will decongest Kotturpuram junction making it signal-free. The sixth and left-most lane will facilitate a free-left for vehicles from Guindy to Kotturpuram, beneath the IIT Madras flyover, while vehicles from Kotturpuram heading to Guindy will take a left on Sardar Patel Road, and take a U-turn beneath the Madhya Kailash L-flyover, while the vehicles from Adyar and OMR heading straight to Guindy on the Sardar Patel Road will have a thoroughfare and vehicles will have a free-right to Kotturpuram.An official said 100 workers are currently engaged at the site, and that the underground utilities, including EB cables, have already been shifted.D Balaji of Kasturba Nagar residents welfare association in Adyar said a two-way flyover at Madhya Kailash would have further eased traffic. Adyar zonal chairman R Durairaj said congestion has eased on one side, but traffic snarls persist during peak hours as the road remains narrow. “The six-lane road would solve the problem, and enhance motorist safety, reduce accidents, and benefit commuters travelling to the airport, as well as employees and residents who use the stretch regularly,” he said.