Court directs CBI to withdraw LOC against former Amnesty International India chief Aakar Patel
New Delhi, Apt 7: A Delhi court on Thursday directed the CBI to withdraw a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against the chair of Amnesty International India Board Aakar Patel in a case of an alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar passed the order and directed the probe agency to file a compliance report.
Earlier during the arguments, the CBI opposed the application of Patel saying there was a likelihood of him fleeing from justice if he was allowed to leave the country.
The CBI said that Patel was highly influential.
"We are not demanding for arrest. We are saying he should not cross the country," the agency said.
The court noted the CBI submission that the investigation was continuing since 2021, and said if Patel was a flight risk, he would have been arrested.
The court said he could have run away during the investigation also then.
Patel's counsel had opposed the CBI's contention, claiming that citizens' rights are being railroaded by the agency.
"It is time that we send a suitable reply to law enforcement agencies and society," he told the court.
Patel's application has further sought the court's permission to visit the US to take up his foreign assignment and lecture series organised by various universities till May 30.
It submitted that Patel was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport on Wednesday while he was boarding a flight to the US.
The application claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad.
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MI beat PBKS by 6 wickets
Dharamsala (PTI): Already out of play-offs race, Mumbai Indians beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in their IPL match here on Thursday.
Tilak Varma remained not out on 75 off 33 balls as MI chased down the target of 201 with one ball to spare. Will Jacks gave Varma company with 25 not out off 10 balls as MI reached 205 for 4 in 19.5 overs.
For Punjab, Azmatullah Omarzai was the most successful bowler with figures of 2/36.
Earlier, Shardul Thakur returned with excellent figures of 4 for 39 for MI, who are already out of the IPL play-offs race, but Punjab Kings still scored 200 for 8.
Deepak Chahar (2/36), Corbin Bosch (1/42) and Raj Bawa (1/11) were the other MI wicket takers.
Brief Scores:
Punjab Kings: 200 for 8 in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 57; Shardul Thakur 4/39).
Mumbai Indians: 205 for 4 in 19.5 overs (Tilak Varma 75 not out; Azmatullah Omarzai 2/36).
