Look Out Circular restraint on foreign travel may continue where presence is needed for ongoing economic offence investigation and trial.

A Look Out Circular may be maintained to prevent foreign travel where a person faces serious economic offence proceedings and the court finds that continued presence is needed for investigation or trial. The text notes that repeated requests to lift the restraint were not accepted, particularly where allegations included cheating, conspiracy, corruption and money-laundering, the investigation and trial were ongoing, and the risk of non-return was considered real. The petitioner's foreign nationality, lack of a reliable permanent address in India, and absence of an extradition treaty with Seychelles were treated as relevant factors against permitting travel abroad.

---

---

Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to permission to travel abroad despite the subsistence of a Look Out Circular and pending investigation and trial in serious economic offence cases.

Analysis: The petitioner had already failed in earlier proceedings challenging the same restraint, and the present request was treated as a repeated attempt in a modified form. The allegations involved serious economic offences, including cheating, criminal conspiracy, corruption, and money-laundering, with investigation and trial still underway. The Court attached significance to the petitioner being a foreign national, the absence of a reliable permanent address in India, the need for his presence at a crucial stage of investigation and trial, and the absence of an extradition treaty with Seychelles. In these circumstances, the claim of personal liberty and proposed short travel was found insufficient to override the need to secure his presence.

Conclusion: The request to permit foreign was rejected and the petitioner was not held entitled to relief against the Look Out Circular.

Final Conclusion: The writ petition failed because the Court prioritized the integrity of ongoing criminal investigation and trial over the petitioner's request for temporary travel abroad.

Ratio Decidendi: A person facing serious economic offence proceedings may be restrained from travelling abroad through a Look Out Circular where his presence is necessary for investigation or trial and the risk of non-return is real.

---