LAKSHMI SATYANARAYANA DUTT TADIKONDA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of this petition, the petitioner is seeking the withdrawal of the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him and no other prayer has been pressed during the course of the arguments by the Ld. Sr. counsel for the petitioner.

(2.) Briefly stated, the petitioner according to him is a qualified chartered accountant and in 2008 migrated to Dubai to work as a Financial Controller for Jaleel Group of companies and has been living in Dubai ever since. On 28.02.2018, the petitioner was granted his latest residency visa by UAE. It is contended that the petitioner keeps on visiting India frequently to visit his family and for other purposes. On 03.12.2019, the petitioner arrived in India from Dubai and on 27.12.2019, he departed for Dubai without any impediments. However, on 06.01.2020, when the petitioner again arrived from Dubai to India at Hyderabad International Airport for some business meeting then at the time of immigration, the petitioner was informed by the concerned officers to meet with the Income Tax Authorities regarding some pending issues and no other details were given.

(3.) When on 08.01.2020, after completing his business meetings, the petitioner was leaving for Dubai from Hyderabad International Airport, then at the time of immigration, the petitioner was approached by few officers of Income Tax Department who served the petitioner with the copy of summons dated 08.01.2020 and took him to question him in regard to their investigation pertaining to Punj Lloyd Group. The petitioner after cancelling his flight ticket to Dubai accompanied them for questioning.