Bombay High Court Displeased with Last-Minute Filings of Stay on Look Out Circulars
The Bombay High Court has expressed its annoyance towards applicants seeking temporary stay on Look Out Circulars (LOCs) issued against them in order to travel abroad after finalizing their itineraries. The court believes that this is due to these parties assuming that their cases will be heard on a priority basis to allow them to keep up with their travel plans. The lack of notice to the court and the need for immediate action is inconvenient for the court and staff, who need to transcribe and sign orders. The courts will now only entertain applications from parties who apply well in advance.
The court gave this assessment while reviewing an application from Sanjay Dangi, who is a witness in a case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Dangi needed permission to go to New York to attend a gathering that he claimed he was the major organizer of. Although he submitted an undertaking that he would continue to cooperate with the CBI in further proceedings, the court set a new precedent by allowing him to travel but imposed a cost of INR 50,000 ($670) on him, which he had to pay within three days.
The court stated that it was essential that parties requiring a stay on LOCs at short notice apply well in advance as last-minute applications led to significant disruptions. It also stated that by prioritizing their travel plans over their legal proceedings, the applicants were taking the court for granted. The court has, therefore, required earlier notice before it hears the cases of applicants seeking to stay LOCs.
