DR PRANNOY ROY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This application has been preferred by the petitioners for being accorded interim permission to travel abroad between 1/8/2022 to 30/8/2022 and time to time thereafter. Mr. Rohatgi, learned Senior Counsel appearing in support of the application has however submitted that the petitioners at this stage seek to restrict the permission sought for the month of August only.

(2.) The aforesaid prayer is addressed in the backdrop of Look Out Circulars [LOC] having been issued against the petitioners. The LOC in turn had come to be opened pursuant to the registration of two FIR's dtd. 2/6/2017 and 19/8/2019. The Court notes that although investigation is ongoing, till date no chargesheet has been filed by CBI. From the record the Court notes that an earlier LOC which had been issued had expired on 19/6/2020. A second LOC is thereafter stated to have been opened on 11/1/2021. Although Mr. Rohatgi contends that the aforesaid Circular would not subsist after the expiry of one year from the date of its issuance, the said contention is opposed by learned Counsel appearing for the CBI who contends that in terms of the Office Memorandum dtd. 22/2/2021, the LOC would continue to operate notwithstanding a period of one year having lapsed. The Court thus proceeds on the basis that the LOC of 11/1/2021 which had been opened still subsists.

(3.) The credentials of the petitioners are set forth in the application which has been moved. From the affidavit which has been tendered on behalf of the CBI, the Court notes that various allegations are levelled with respect to certain financial transactions which were undertaken by the petitioners in their capacity as being part of the management of New Delhi Television Ltd. However and as the record presently stands, the Court finds that the respondents do not place reliance on any material which may even remotely indicate that the petitioners constitute a flight risk. It is also not shown or established that they have failed to render cooperation in the ongoing investigation. From the material placed on behalf of the applicants, it is manifest that the petitioners have deep rooted ties in the country and consequently the prayer for interim permission as made would merit acceptance.