The Bombay High Court today said that those applying for a stay on Look Out Circulars (LOC) against them are taking the courts for granted. A bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale said that applicants assume they will be granted permission, and hence, file last-minute applications.
Stays on LOCs are sought in order for foreign travels. The High Court noted that itineraries are fixed and, in some cases, tickets booked, before applicants seek a stay. “In all these applications, it seems that the courts are more or less being taken for granted – that permissions will follow and that matters and, more importantly, that applications, will be taken up on a priority basis,” the bench said.
“This is not acceptable,” said the bench while adding that persons seeking a stay on LOCs are required to approach the court beforehand, and not pressurise the courts.
“When last-minute applications are made like this, it is extremely disruptive. Our staff is greatly inconvenienced. We will not entertain such applications again,” the court said.
The bench was hearing an application by businessman Sanjay Dangi, seeking permission to travel abroad and a temporary stay on the LOC issued against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Dangi sought to travel to the United States till July 3, and then to London till July 7. He urged the court to grant him an urgent hearing since he wanted to leave immediately.
The application mentioned a conference in New York which he needed to attend and said that Dangi found out about the LOC against him in June 2022, when he was stopped at the Mumbai airport.
As per the application, Dangi is not an accused in any CBI proceedings but is only a witness.
The bench permitted Dangi to travel, and stayed the LOC till July 10. However, this cost him Rs 50,000, which he will have to pay to the St. Jude India Childcare Centre.