Delhi Court Upholds Order Asking CBI To Withdraw LOC Against Aakar Patel

The court also set aside a direction issued to the CBI to make a written apology to the Amnesty India chair.

A Delhi court on Saturday, 16 April, upheld a previous order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to withdraw its Look Out circular (LOC) against Amnesty India Chair Aakar Patel.

The court, however, set aside directions given by the trial court to fix accountability of the CBI officials for the issuance of the LOC, as well as to the CBI director to tender a written apology to Patel for agency's action against him.

Further, Special CBI Judge Santosh Snehi Mann added that it was upholding the order as long as Patel meets two conditions:

• That he should appear before the trial court within seven days

• That he will not leave the country without obtaining prior permission from the court

"In this case, the manner in which LOC has been issued by the CBI shows lack of understanding of the relevant law, and hence need for orientation of the concerned officers of CBI, not only for sensitisation but also to bring objectivity in the actions, is not out of context. These observations of the Trial Court are not of the nature of exercising power of superintendence, they are out of concern and the petitioner is expected to take them in the right spirit."

Special CBI court order