SIR row: Former Bengaluru Police chief, ex-BJP candidate seeks probe into Dhruv Rathee’s visa status

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has requested the Union Home Ministry’s intervention to verify YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s citizenship, immigration status, and compliance with visa regulations following his participation in an anti-SIR protest in Bengaluru on October 8.

In a letter addressed to the Union Home Secretary, Rao noted that Rathee, who is believed to hold German citizenship, joined actor-activist Prakash Raj and other figures in criticising the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Rao, who contested the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Chamararajpet, made the letter public on his X handle.


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"The limited and specific issue requiring examination is whether a foreign national, while present in India on the basis of a particular visa, immigration permission or other status, is legally entitled to participate in, address or otherwise associate himself with an organised political protest concerning the functioning of India's constitutional and statutory institutions," Rao stated in his letter.

He called on the Ministry to inspect Rathee's current nationality, the passport utilized to enter India, the specific visa category or entry permission under which he is staying, the declared intent of his visit, and any associated conditions of his authorized stay.

Furthermore, Rao urged officials to investigate whether addressing and participating in the demonstration breached any immigration or visa rules, and if prior official clearance was mandatory for such activities.

Should any breach of the Foreigners Act, 1946, visa regulations, immigration laws, OCI rules, or other statutory frameworks be verified, appropriate legal measures should be initiated, Rao argued.

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Elaborating on the motivation behind the request, Rao asserted that his representation was not driven by political dissent or criticism of the government or the Election Commission. Instead, he emphasized, the intent was to ensure foreign nationals abide by the legal statutes regulating their stay and conduct within India.

He additionally requested that authorities retain and review immigration and entry-exit logs to enable a thorough, independent evaluation.

Rathee attended the demonstration, billed as a "people's tribunal", organized by civil society groups and the CJP at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday. Prakash Raj and Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke were also among those present at the event.