Delhi High Court suspends lookout notice to allow defence software manufacturer to travel abroad

Delhi High Court on Monday suspended the Lookout Circular (LOC) operational against a businessman, engaged in developing and producing software and hardware for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian Army, Indian Air force and for International clients, to allow him to travel to Russia and Malawi.

Delhi High Court on Monday suspended the Lookout Circular (LOC) operational against a businessman, engaged in developing and producing software and hardware for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian Army, Indian Air force and for International clients, to allow him to travel to Russia and Malawi. Justice V Kameswar Rao allowed the petition moved by businessman Sanjay Soni for suspending the LOC for three weeks. The Court has allowed the petition subject to certain conditions.

The petitioner is liable to furnish security of a sum of Rs 5 crore in the form of Fixed Deposit (FDR); a Bank Guarantee. He will also furnish a copy of the air tickets, along with the complete itinerary of his stay in Moscow, Russia and Malawi, the bench said. The court said that the petitioner shall also provide the phone number which will be used by him during his stay abroad, which shall remain operational at all times.

The petitioner has also been asked to return to the country within a period of three weeks of his departure. The High Court, in its order, said, ''The petitioner intends to travel to Russia and Malawi for the purpose of meeting with M/s Rosboron export and Commander of the Malawian Defence Force."

Justice Rao said, ''He was earlier allowed to travel abroad for a period of four weeks, this application also needs to be allowed, directing that the impugned LOC shall remain suspended for a period of three weeks from the date of departure to enable the petitioner to travel abroad. The Petitioner Sanjay Soni had moved a petition for suspension of the operation of LOC for six weeks from 21 January to 4 March 2022.

Saurabh Kirapl, senior counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petition has been filed seeking quashing of LOC issued by Deputy Director Bureau of Immigration of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Senior counsel also submitted that the petitioner is currently serving as Director in three companies namely, M/s Si2 Microsystems Pvt Ltd, M/s IZMO Ltd., and M/s Hughes Precision Manufacturing Pvt Ltd.

These companies are engaged in developing and producing space and defence-related hardware and software of ISRO, Indian Army, Indian Air force as well as international clients in the United States, Russia, Singapore, Israel etc. He further submitted that a similar application was decided on November 18, 2021, whereby the court had suspended LOC for a period of four weeks and permitted the petitioner to travel to Russia, subject to several conditions. (ANI)

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