Veteran journalist Aakar Patel tweeted on Wednesday that he was stopped from flying to the US from the Bengaluru International Airport. Patel, a noted columnist, had been executive director of Amnesty International India.
Patel tweeted early on Wednesday “stopped from leaving india at Bangalore airport. am on the exit control list. Got passport back through court order specifically for this trip to the US”.
Patel stated he was informed by the immigration officials he was put on the exit control list by the CBI. Patel shared details of the order of a court in Surat, Gujarat, that had directed his passport be released from March 1 to May 30 for the purpose of visiting the US.
Patel added “CBI officer called to say I am on the Look-Out Circular because of the case Modi govt has filed against Amnesty International India”.
Patel told The Indian Express “When I went to the airport this morning, the immigration said that I am on the Look Out Circular (LOC) from the CBI. This was something that I did not know. I have presented myself to the CBI whenever they have called me. I don’t know why should they have a look-out circular for someone they know about. I found out that I was on the lookout list only when I went to the airport. It happened after check-in, at immigration. We put our bags in and had to go through immigration.”
Patel said he was to travel to the US to deliver lectures at some universities, including Berkeley and New York University. Patel referred to the recent incident of journalist Rana Ayyub being stopped from flying to the UK. Ayyub was on Monday granted permission by the Delhi High Court to travel.
Patel told The Hindu “The government has demonstrated how civil society is under attack in the country. This comes close on the heels of journalist Rana Ayyub being stopped similarly. These restraints for travel have time and again not stood the challenge in the courts, but still the government persists. I am exploring my legal options in the case and will challenge the LOC soon.”
The CBI had filed a case against Amnesty International India and some of its associate organisations in late 2019 over alleged violations of the FCRA.
In September 2020, Amnesty International announced it was suspending operations in India as the Centre had frozen its bank accounts.
Aakar Patel has been a critic of the Narendra Modi government and BJP. In September 2020, he was arrested for allegedly posting tweets that were offensive to the Ghanchi community. The case against him was filed following a complaint by a BJP MLA in Surat. Patel had to surrender his passport to secure bail in the case.
