BENGALURU: Amid the ongoing deportation controversy involving Russian national Nina Kutina—detained for living in a forest cave near Gokarna with her two young daughters—her ex-husband, Israeli citizen Dror Goldstein, has stepped forward to demand shared custody of the children.
“I just want to see my daughters a few times a week and be a part of their lives,” said Goldstein, 38, speaking from Bengaluru on Wednesday. “If they are sent to Russia, staying in touch will become much harder. I want them to remain in India.”
Goldstein, who spends half the year in Goa, said he had been separated from Kutina, 40, for some time. He claims to have lost contact with her and their daughters, Prema (6) and Ama (4), after Kutina abruptly left Goa a few months ago. “I eventually located them on a beach in Gokarna, but she wouldn’t let me see the children since we no longer live together,” he said.
Recounting their history, Goldstein said he met Kutina in Goa in 2017. The couple spent years traveling between India and Ukraine before their relationship ended. He left India in March this year, but rushed back upon hearing about the situation involving Kutina and the children. “I flew to Bengaluru as soon as I heard the news, hoping to meet them,” he said.
According to Goldstein, Kutina has been adamant about raising the children on her own. “She told me from the beginning that if I wasn’t living with them, I shouldn’t be in touch with the girls at all,” he alleged.
He added that when Kutina left Goa with the children, he filed a missing person report with the police. “Now, I want to formally pursue shared custody,” he said.
Goldstein also claimed he has been financially supporting Kutina since the birth of their first daughter. “I send money every month and spend six months in India with them. I can’t stay longer due to visa limits and other commitments,” he explained.
He emphasized that his younger daughter, Ama, was born in India and questioned her potential deportation. “Ama is an Indian citizen as far as I know. She’s lived here her whole life—she shouldn’t be deported,” he argued.
The case gained attention after Kutina and her daughters were discovered living in a remote cave on Ramatirtha Hills in Kumta taluk on July 11. Authorities are currently reviewing the family’s immigration status and living conditions.
