Deportation: Israeli couple moves High Court

KOCHI: An Israeli couple who was issued a deportation notice for conducting religious activities in the state approached the Kerala High Court on Friday challenging the deportation order issued by the Ernakulam District Collector.The notice was issued based on a police report that Shneor Zalman Bernstein and his wife Yaffa Shendi Keing had violated visa conditions.The allegation was that the foreigners had organised religious activities under the religious organisation ‘Chabad’ in a Synagogue at Mattanchery.Justice S Sirijagan sought the view of the state government while considering the petition.The petitioners submitted that they were invited to India by the Cochin Synagogue for preserving the heritage of the Jewish community in Kochi. The petitioners submitted that the notice was not against the statutory provisions and issued without ascertaining the facts.