‘Ghar Wapsi’ For Nosy Journalist: Scialla Packed Off To US As Illegal Fishing In Sterlite Waters Leads To Visa Annulment

In the aftermath of the District Superintendent of Police and Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) Murali Rambha cancelling the visa of Mark Scialla, a 31-year-old US-based freelance journalist, for his articles regarding the Sterlite issue, on charges of violating the Foreigners Act,1946, the journalist who was in the district vacated the hotel on Tuesday and headed to Madurai by road, reports The New Indian Express.

The California native arrived in Thoothukudi on 27 December 2018 on a tourist visa and had allegedly visited the Panarampatti village where the anti-Sterlite protest was at its peak. He is said to have interviewed anti-Sterlite activists such as Thermal Raja, Prince Cardoza of Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement, retired professor Fatima Babu and Maria Regan for his articles on the highly sensitive Sterlite issue.

His actions grabbed the attention of the police, who interrogated him along with scrutinising his electronic devices for nearly 10 hours. His activities violated the Sections of The Foreigners Act, said the police.

SP Murali Rambha served a notice to Mark based on the inquiry and said that Marks’s act was a punishable offence.“As an FRO, I had instructed Mark to leave the country and made exit remarks on his visa. Necessary entries were also made to ensure his return journey through Hyderabad airport. I would recommend the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) in Chennai to blacklist Mark,” he said.