New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved its order on a CBI application challenging an order asking the probe agency to withdraw the lookout circular issued against the chair of Amnesty International India Board Aakar Patel and apologise to him in connection with a case relating to the alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA).Special judge Santosh Snehi Mann reserved the order after hearing arguments from the CBI and the counsel appearing for Patel on the agency’s plea seeking revision of the magisterial court’s decision.The judge also extended the stay on the magisterial court’s order till the final decision of the revision petition.“I am convinced with the submission (made by CBI counsel). The operation of the impugned order is stayed till the final decision of revision petition,” the judge said.The judge had on April 8 directed Patel not to leave the country without the court’s prior permission while it stayed the order of the magisterial court in the case relating to the alleged violation of the FCRA.The judge had said due opportunity needed to be given to Patel to file a formal reply if any.Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Pawan Kumar had on April 7 passed the order and directed the probe agency to withdraw the circular immediately and apologise to Patel.Patel, meanwhile, was stopped again that evening at an airport and was informed that the CBI had not withdrawn the circular.The activist’s application had sought the court’s permission to visit the US to take up his foreign assignment and lecture series organised by various universities till May 30.Patel was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport on April 6 while he was boarding a flight to the US.The application claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad.
