R M TUFAIL Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) . The petitioner a practicing advocate of this Court had filed a writ petition Crl.W.P.No. 266/2000 on 18.4.2000 seeking a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to quash LOC status of the petitioner, and to allow him to attend the then on-going 56th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, and further praying that the respondents be directed to pay the damages for the physical and mental harassment and humiliation caused to him by the conduct of the respondent's officials.

(2.) . In brief the factual background is that on 9.4.2000 the petitioner though having a valid ticket and passport for attending the Conference being the 56th Session of UN Commission on Human Rights Scheduled to be held in Geneva between 20th March to 28/04/2000, was stopped from Boarding the KLM Flight to Geneva from IGI Airport, New Delhi and he was informed that he was being so restrained on account of the LOC status.

(3.) . The petitioner in this background filed Criminal writ Petition No.226/2000 challenging his categorisation by way of LOC status, which writ petition was disposed of on 17.5.2002 by a Division Bench of this Court after taking note of the fact that the writ petition had become infructuous on account of the maximum time period applicable to such administrative orders regarding LOC status, having lapsed.