Journalist Aakar Patel on Friday moved a contempt plea against the CBI for not complying with a court order issued the previous day.
Aakar Patel had moved a court in Delhi on Thursday after he was stopped at the Bengaluru Airport from leaving for the US. Immigration officials had cited a CBI look-out circular issued against him in connection to a case against Amnesty International. The court directed the CBI to withdraw the lookout circular and asked the agency to apologise to Patel.
However, on Thursday night, Patel alleged he was prevented from flying out from Bengaluru Airport again. He tweeted, “have been stopped at immigration again. cbi has not taken me off their look out circular”.
On Friday morning, Patel filed a contempt plea in the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi against the CBI, alleging non-compliance with the order that directed withdrawal of the look-out notice against him. Patel argued that the investigating officer in the case, Himanshu Bahuguna, was present in court on Thursday during issuance of the earlier order and knew that Patel intended to travel later that night.
Patel alleged Bahuguna had switched off his mobile phone, which prevented the immigration authorities from calling him.
“The act of the Investigating Officer in switching off his mobile phone speaks volumes about the intention of the Respondent agency in bulldozing the valuable fundamental rights of the applicant,” Live Law quoted Patel's plea as stating.
On Thursday, the court noted Patel suffered a monetary loss of Rs 3.8 lakh due to missing his original flight. In his new plea, Patel claims he has suffered a further loss of Rs 5.6 lakh.
