Senior Citizen Wins Relief as Court Quashes Look-Out Circular Issued by SFIO.
18 December 2024
Bail and Antcipatory Bail >> Criminal Law
In this petition of Vidyaa Sudhir Moravekar v/s The Serious Fraud Investigation Office, Through its Authorized Officer & Others, the petitioner, a 67-year-old senior citizen, sought to quash the Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against her by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). The LOC was issued in connection with a case in which charges were filed in February 2024, and the court took cognizance of the chargesheet in September 2024. The petitioner argued that with the chargesheet filed and cognizance taken, there was no reason for the LOC to remain in effect.
The respondent SFIO opposed the petition and presented a copy of the LOC. It was noted that the petitioner was the wife of a deceased accused, Sudhir Moravekar, in an earlier FIR filed by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in 2017. Despite being named as an accused in the case, the petitioner had cooperated with the investigation and had attended SFIO offices as required. The petitioner also had anticipatory bail granted in the case.
The court observed that the column in the LOC document, which stated the reason for opening the LOC, was left blank. Since the petitioner had anticipatory bail and had no history of absconding, the court found no justification for the LOC remaining open. As a result, the LOC was quashed, and the SFIO was directed to inform the immigration authorities about the order. The court also clarified that SFIO could issue a new LOC if necessary in the future.