New Delhi: A city court on Monday (February 17) allowed Hyderabad-based businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy, who is an accused-turned-approver in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam, to travel abroad for business purposes, saying it was a “valuable right” guaranteed under the Constitution.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja allowed Reddy to travel to Dubai between February 19 and 26 for business purposes.
ED as well as CBI had not claimed any non-cooperation, court noted
The judge, while allowing Reddy to travel abroad, noted that the Enforcement Directorate as well as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had not claimed any non-cooperation. The judge further said that the right to travel was available to accused persons and it couldn’t be “absolutely curtailed or taken away”, although subject to reasonable conditions.
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Right to travel abroad a valuable right: Court
“The right to travel abroad of any person is a valuable right as it emanates from the fundamental right to life and liberty as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the judge said, news agency PTI reported.
Reddy is also an accused in corruption case registered by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-defunct Delhi Excise Policy.
What did the CBI, ED submit?
The CBI had opposed Reddy’s application seeking to travel abroad, submitting that he could be a flight risk and not turn up during the trial, if allowed to leave the country. The ED submitted before the court that the continuation of investigation into the matter and the conditional nature of the pardon granted to him necessitate his presence in India for ongoing proceedings.
The court, however, said that there was no reason to presume or infer that Reddy will not return to India and added that records did not show that he had ever violated any of the bail conditions previously imposed on him and allowed him to travel abroad with certain restrictions imposed on him.
