Delhi HC lets Navneet Kalra travel abroad on furnishing ₹50L security

Justice Yogesh Khanna said the businessman will file an undertaking/affidavit that during the pendency of his petition, he shall not dispose of any of his property that was seized by ED.

The Delhi high court on Friday permitted businessman Navneet Kalra, an accused in a case of alleged black-marketing of oxygen concentrators during the second wave of the Covid-19, to travel abroad for attending eye wear industry events, after depositing a security amount of ₹50 lakh.

Businessman Navneet Kalra is an accused in a case of alleged black-marketing of oxygen concentrators during the second wave of the Covid-19. (PTI file photo)

Justice Yogesh Khanna, while hearing Kalra’s plea against the lookout circular (LoC) issued against him by the enforcement directorate (ED), said the businessman will also file an undertaking/affidavit that during the pendency of his petition, he shall not dispose of any of his property that was seized by ED.

The LoC was issued in a money laundering case being probed by the ED against which Kalra had moved the court, seeking permission to attend two eye wear exhibitions in Dubai and Italy’s Milan.

Appearing for ED, its counsel Asheesh Jain opposed the grant of any interim relief to Kalra.

Kalra’s counsel Gurinder Pal Singh said the petitioner has cooperated with the investigation and has not been summoned since June 8 last year. He said Kalra would comply with any condition imposed by the court to enable him to attend these events, which are essential for his eye wear business.

“The petitioner shall furnish ₹50 lakh security to the satisfaction of the registrar general of the high court. The petitioner shall file an undertaking/affidavit with respondent no 3 (ED) and the registrar general of this court that he shall not dispose of any property seized by respondent no 3 during the pendency of the petition. The petitioner is allowed to travel to Dubai to participate in the SAFILO event in Dubai from February 15, 2022, to February 23, 2022, and to the MIDO event in Milan from April 27, 2022, to May 5, 2022,” the court ordered.

The court also asked the Central government to inform the petitioner within three days if there are any other LOCs in his name. It granted time to ED and the Union government to file their response and listed the case for further hearing to August 17.