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Kidnap drama might end in deportation

An Indian who fled America with his two daughters, after telling his wife he was en route to a 'Take Your Daughter To Work' day, must appear for an immigration hearing in October, a judge ruled yesterday.

The hearing to decide whether Dayton-based Sanjay Soni, 35, can remain in the United States, will be separate from the hearing of his wife Sona, 30, who is divorcing her husband and has custody of their two children.

On April 24, Sanjay Soni told his wife he was taking the girls, aged three and seven, to his office in east Windsor. Many American companies organise 'Take Your Daughter To Work' days, a custom originally designed to show girls they could do male-dominated jobs. Later, the custom was extended to boys and became a 'Take Your Child To Work' day.

Instead of taking his daughters to work, though, Soni took them to London for a connecting flight to India. He was arrested in London and charged with interfering in the custody of the girls. Those charges are pending, said his attorney, Andre Michniak.

Soni had a friend deliver a letter to his wife telling her what he had done. Authorities said he had bought tickets for an Air-India flight and was bound for Bangalore.

Sona Soni has requested separate deportation hearings. "As long as my case is connected to his, what happens to him will happen to me,'' she said. "It's more likely that he'll be deported and I cannot afford to go back.''

Michniak said his client agreed to have his case separated from his wife's because it was possible the two would have negative things to say about each other.

Michniak said Soni entered the country legally in 1986 as a student, and then was given a seven-year work visa. As that was running out, he applied to be allowed to stay, Michniak said.

That request was never ruled on, and the Sonis entered the deportation process. They had filed to have deportation suspended, and were due for a hearing on that motion when Soni fled with his daughters.

His hearing is scheduled for October 5. Sona Soni, who is in the process of finding an immigration lawyer, is due before a judge on August 18.

UNI

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