The Madras High Court has held that a US citizen having an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card must obtain “special permission” to conduct any missionary, public, mountaineering, or journalistic activities in India, observing that doing so without approval violates provisions under the Citizenship Act, 1955. The petitioner had approached the High Court challenging the September 4 order issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer cancelling his OCI registration.Rejecting the suggestions that the material against the petitioner was fabricated, Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy observed that substantial evidence showed he had been addressing congregations, gatherings and meetings at various places in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The October 26 order said, “It is one thing to contend that the petitioner is not involved in conversion and is only spreading the message of ‘God’. However, it is not only for conversion, but even to be a missionary preaching his religion, it is only a prior permission that is mandated.” Calling the petitioner’s statement “categorical” and “sweeping”, the court held that his contention that he has “never been involved in any missionary activities in India and has visited India only to see his mother, family and friends, which, on its face, is a lie.” The remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is an equitable remedy and cannot be extended in the face of the petitioner’s blatant, bald denial and the materials placed, the court said.The court further added, “If the petitioner preaches and undertakes activities to spread the word of ‘God’, such activities would fall within the meaning of missionary activity. Therefore, he ought to have obtained special permission in that regard. He has not obtained such permission. Therefore, considering the nature of the allegations made against the petitioner, the cancellation stands justified.” Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said if the petitioner preaches and undertakes activities to spread the word of ‘God’, such activities would fall within the meaning of missionary activity.Family visits or missionary workAccording to the case, the petitioner is a citizen of the United States of America and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder. He has deep familial, cultural and personal ties with India. He visits India primarily for personal and family-related purposes to meet his 92-year-old mother and his sister.In particular, he has been visiting India to meet, support, and attend to the needs of his aged mother as a dutiful son. The petitioner also pursued his schooling in Ooty. Thus, a significant part of his early life was spent in India. Story continues below this adHe stated that he did not violate any law governing OCI cardholders, and denied the allegations of missionary activities and religious conversions in his explanation to the show cause notice dated September 8, 2025. Senior counsel R Shanmuga Sundaram and advocates A G Shakeena and R Vinayaga Vishnu, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the state had failed to identify with precision the dates on which he allegedly undertook missionary activity in India, the places where such activity was allegedly undertaken, the persons alleged to have been converted by him, and the specific acts alleged to constitute conversion. The counsel argued that the material evidence establishing that he personally compelled or procured any conversion was not established.Sundaram contended that, although it is alleged that the petitioner brainwashed persons in interior villages, there was no evidence disclosing even the identity of a single person. Further, the order used the word ‘cult’, which caused grave prejudice to him.Senior panel counsel S Padma, appearing for the state, submitted that the material downloaded from the internet, showing the petitioner sharing the ‘Word of God’ at these meetings, was produced before this court.Story continues below this adOCI card’s eligibility versus cancellationThe court observed that Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act) provides that the Central Government may, subject to such conditions, restrictions and manner as may be prescribed, on an application made in that behalf, register any person as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder. There is no dispute regarding the petitioner’s eligibility, as his parents are stated to be of Indian origin and, since he was born in America, he was treated and chose to be an American citizen, the court said. Accordingly, the court held that the registration was rightly granted to the petitioner.The court further noted that Section 7D of the Act deals with the cancellation of registration and it empowers the Government to cancel the registration if the cardholder has violated any provisions of the Act or of any other law for the time being in force, as may be specified by the Central Government in the notification published in the Official Gazette.The court noted that the petitioner was a professional missionary who spreads the word of ‘God’ in relation to his religion. However, it noted that he had denied the allegations wholesale rather than disputing individual incidents.The court said that the petitioner could apply for a regular visa to visit his mother. For the conduct of his meetings and religious purposes, he can carry out his activities in India only upon being granted the requisite official permission, it added and dismissed his petition.