Hours after the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi allowed Aakar Patel to travel abroad, the former Amnesty International India Head on Thursday (April 7) night alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not remove the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him.
In a tweet, Patel claimed, “Have been stopped at immigration again. CBI has not taken me off their lookout circular.”
He further alleged, “Immigration at Bangalore airport says nobody at CBI answering their calls. Will move court again if I have to…”
Later at 1:45 am on Friday (April 8) night, Aakar Patel uploaded a cryptic tweet while tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah. While posing with his dog, the ex-Amnesty International (India) chief wrote, “Imma bounce (I am leaving) Amit Shah, see you soon. Sooner than I had expected it seems.
It is notable here that the Central Bureau of Investigation will act on the court order, only on receipt of a written copy. Given that the Rouse Avenue Court issued its directives only on April 7, it is quite possible that the CBI did not receive the written copy of the court order by the time Patel tweeted about being stopped at Bengaluru airport.
Citing sources in the CBI, NDTV had reported that the central investigation agency will challenge the court order and file an appeal on Friday (April 8) morning.
Aakar Patel stopped from leaving the country
On Wednesday (April 6), Aakar Patel was stopped from boarding a flight to the USA at the Bengaluru airport. The former Amnesty India chief had tweeted that he was put on an exit control list. Patel claimed that he had obtained his passport through a court order.
He added that a CBI officer informed him that he is on a Look Out Circular because of the case against Amnesty International India regarding the FCRA violations. He was later granted temporary relief by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi yesterday. And the CBI has stated that they would challenge the court order.
In February last year, the Enforcement Directorate had attached movable properties of Amnesty International India worth Rs 17.66 crore in a money laundering case.
ED had found that after the cancellation of the FCRA license by the Indian government, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust and other Amnesty entities adopted ‘new methods’ to receive money from abroad.