Court suspends LOC, grants permission to Businessman to travel to Singapore
Jan 25, 2025
New Delhi [India], January 25 : While granting permission to Businessman Sidhant Gupta to travel abroad the Rouse Avenue court said, "The right to free movement includes travelling abroad and same is the constitutional right of the applicant."
Gupta is the director of Kwality Ltd. and is accused in a money laundering case. He sought suspension of the Look Out Circular (LOC) and permission to travel to Singapore to drop her daughter for studies.
Principal District and Sessions Judge (PDSJ) Anuj Bajaj Chandna granted permission to Sidhant Gupta to travel to Singapore from January 25 to February 8, 2025.
The court said that the application of the applicant Sidhant Gupta is allowed and LOC issued qua the applicant Sidhant Gupta shall remain suspended during the period (January 25, 2025, to February 8, 2025) on furnishing a surety bond and an FDR of Rs. 6 lakh in the name of surety.
The court observed, "Enforcement Directorate has registered ECIR against the applicant and investigation therein is going on, but it is also true that the anticipatory bail application of the applicant is pending before this court and is fixed for hearing on January 30, 2025."
The applicant has sought permission to travel abroad for a limited period and for a specific purpose. In the case of predicate offence, such permission has already been granted in favour of the applicant, the court noted in the order.
"In my opinion, no prejudice would be caused to the Enforcement Directorate if for the limited period, LOC is suspended and the applicant is permitted to visit abroad," PDSJ Ordered on January 24.
Sidhant Gupta sought orders and directions for suspension of the lookout circular issued by the Directorate of Enforcement from January 25 to February 8 in order to enable him to visit Singapore.
Counsel for the applicant stated that he has to visit Singapore for the period January 25 to February 8 to drop his daughter who is going abroad for further studies. The applicant being a father wants to drop her daughter and also to make arrangements there.
Earlier also, on March 26, 2024, he was granted permission to visit the USA in the predicate offence by the Rouse Avenue court.
It is stated that the applicant has been named in CBI FIR being Director of M/s Kwality Limited. The CBI registered this FIR against the applicant and others. A charge-sheet has already been filed in the predicate offence and the applicant has been granted regular bail on February 12, 2024. The Directorate of Enforcement on the basis of the said predicate offence registered the ECIR.
