A special CBI court in Delhi has stayed the Delhi court order allowing former Amnesty India head Aakar Patel to travel abroad and said that he can’t leave the country without the permission of the court. The Special CBI court in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court stayed the order issued by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of the same court yesterday, where CBI was instructed to withdraw the Look Out Circular against Patel immediately.
The court had also asked the CBI to issue an apology to Aakar Patel for restricting him to travel abroad. The Look Out Circular was issued by CBI against Aakar Patel as Amnesty India is facing probes for money laundering and violation FCRA norms.
Special CBI Judge Santosh Snehi Mann stayed the order by the ACMM Pawan Kumar, and directed Patel not to leave the country without permission of the Court. The CBI had argued against the court order saying that no time was given to them to challenge the order, as they were asked to withdraw the circular immediately.
The judge agreed with this argument, saying, “there has to be a reasonable time to a party, who feels that the order isn’t favourable to approach the authority. The remedy is there.”
“It is necessary that due opportunity be given to file formal reply if any. In the meantime, it is necessary that the cause is not frustrated,” the court commented while giving relief to CBI.
This order means that Aakar Patel can’t leave the country without the court’s permission, and he will not get the apology from CBI for the time being. The next hearing in the case will take place on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the CBI had moved the court with a revision petition against the court order favouring Patel. At the same time, Aakar Patel has also filed a contempt of court case, as he was stopped from leaving the country hours after the court had allowed to do so.
Just hours after the judgement was announced, Aakar Patel had reached Bangalore airport last night, but he was not allowed to board the aircraft, as the CBI was yet to comply with the court order and withdraw the circular against him. He had filed the contempt of court case for that reason.
The CBI today told the court that the order was issued in the evening, and as it has already decided to appeal the order, it didn’t withdraw the circular.
