Insight Bureau:  Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Thursday ordered the Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) to withdraw the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Journalist and former Amnesty International India Chief Aakar Kuberbhai Patel in a case of alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FRCA).

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar of Rouse Avenue Court further ordered the Director of CBI to issue a written apology to Aakar Patel which would heal the wounds of the applicant and uphold the trust in CBI.

It is pertinent to mention here that Aakar Patel was stopped by Immigrations authorities at Bengaluru Airport on Wednesday from travelling to the US citing a LOC issued on his passport by the CBI. Patel was on his way to fly to America to deliver series of lectures at various Universities following invitations.

The court noted that apart from the monetary loss, the applicant had suffered mental harassment as he was not allowed to visit planned events at the scheduled time.

He sought permission to travel US to complete foreign assignments and deliver lecture series organised by various universities till May 30.