New Delhi, April 8 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday refused to file a compliance report in connection to a Delhi court’s direction to set aside the Lookout Circular issued by the probe agency against Amnesty International’s former India head, Aakar Patel.
While refusing to file the compliance report, the central agency highlighted that they have already approached the court seeking a revision in the matter.
Special CBI Judge Santosh Snehi Mann was hearing the matter.
Patel, who got relief from the court that set aside the CBI’s Lookout Circular restraining him from going abroad, on Friday again approached the court citing that he was stopped a second time at the airport despite a favourable order.
He also sought directions from the court to summon the investigating officer in relation to the incident.
On Thursday, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar of the Rouse Avenue court had also sought a written apology from the CBI director.
“In this case, a written apology from the head of CBI, i.e., Director CBI acknowledging lapse on part of his subordinate to the applicant would go a long way in not only healing wounds of the applicant but also upholding trust and confidence of the public in the premier institution,” the court order read.
It had taken note of the submissions of Patel’s counsel Tanvir Ahmad Mir, who argued that the Circular was issued without any procedure, and highlighted the fundamental rights of the writer.
There was no question of not cooperating with the probe agency by his client, he said.
Journalist and writer Patel was on his way to the US when he was stopped from leaving the country at the Bengaluru airport on Wednesday citing the Circular issued against him by the CBI in connection with an FCRA (Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 case.
Patel had previously worked on topics related to 2002 Gujarat riots and presented a report “Rights and Wrongs” and has been writing columns for publications in India and Pakistan.
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