New Delhi, April 12 (Agency) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a sanction report before a Special Court submitting that former Amnesty International India chief Aakar Patel, who has been stopped from leaving the country several times last week, has been involved in a number of cases. The probe agency told a Delhi court this even as Patel’s lawyer insisted that there was “nothing to suggest that my client is flight risk”. “Am I some Nirav Modi or Vijay Mallya?” the activist’s lawyer asked on his behalf during the hearing while questioning the issuance of LOC (lookout circular) against him. The central agency told the court that “sanctions have been given” by government “to prosecute” Patel. Nikhil Goel, appearing for the probe agency, said that Patel has been involved in a number of cases. He has not been named in the FIR because the organisation’s name is there (Amnesty India), Goel told the court. The court was told that it was Patel who “was the person responsible for controlling the organisation”.
After hearing the revision petition of CBI Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann stayed the order of ACJM court who had directed the probe agency to withdraw a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Patel and file a written apology before Patel. The CBI Special Judge directed that Patel will not leave the country without the permission of the court. Patel also filed a contempt petition before the court against the Investigating Officer of CBI for non compliance of the order of the court because he was stopped again after passing the order of the court and it was informed from the authority that LOC has not been withdrawn by the CBI. Pawan Kumar, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACJM) passed an order on February 07 by directing the Investigating Agency to withdraw the LOC issued against Patel immediately and directed a written apologies to Patel and file a compliance report before the court. Counsel for CBI submitted before the court that sanctions for prosecuting has been granted by Central Government and Patel is involved in number of cases. Counsel for Patel submitted before the court that the sanction taken by CBI is nothing but a procedural because without sanction the cognizance of charge sheet cannot be taken. He submitted that he is honourable person of the society and has been falsely implicated in this case. CBI Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann after hearing took the cognizance and hearing the submission directed that Patel will not leave the country without permission of the court.