Saturday, March 29, 2025
Bengaluru, July 24, 2025 — The Karnataka High Court has temporarily halted the deportation of Nina Kutina, a 40-year-old Russian national, who was found living with her two young daughters in a cave atop the Ramteertha Hills in Gokarna earlier this month. The court emphasized the importance of safeguarding children’s welfare, referring to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) during its ruling.
Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav, presiding over a single bench, ordered the stay on deportation, observing that forcibly removing Kutina from India could pose serious risks to the safety and well-being of her daughters. Kutina’s legal counsel, Beena Pillai, argued that the deportation process ignored the children’s rights and their best interests as mandated by international law.
Quoting Article 3 of the UNCRC, Pillai noted: “In all actions concerning children, their best interests shall be a primary consideration.” The court agreed, stating that the deportation order must be reviewed with the children’s welfare as the priority.
During the proceedings, the Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) appearing for the Indian government acknowledged that the children do not currently hold valid travel or identification documents. Taking this into account, the court ruled that immediate deportation is inappropriate at this stage.
Kutina entered India around eight years ago and allegedly overstayed her visa, living without legal status. She was discovered on July 9, residing in seclusion with her daughters in a cave, claiming she sought “spiritual isolation” and a life close to nature after moving from Goa to Gokarna. Following the discovery, authorities relocated the family to a shelter home in Tumakuru district for further care and investigation.
After Kutina’s discovery made headlines, her former partner, Israeli businessman Dror Goldstein, surfaced with a series of serious accusations. He claimed he had been fighting for joint custody of their daughters for years. In a 2017 complaint filed with Goa Police, Goldstein alleged that Kutina mentally manipulated the children, isolated them from him, and engaged in financial exploitation. He further accused her of emotional and physical abuse.
With the court’s interim relief in place, Kutina’s deportation is on hold until further hearings. The final verdict is expected in the upcoming sessions. Legal experts suggest this case could become a significant benchmark in how India handles the rights of foreign nationals, especially with regard to children’s welfare and international human rights conventions.
