Meka Rama Krishna Varma vs State

A.D.Jagadish Chandira, J

This petition has been filed seeking to direct the respondent to withdraw the 'Look Out Circular' issued as against the petitioner in connection with Crime No.RC4/E/2016, pending on the file of the respondent and consequently direct the respondent to communicate the order of lifting of travel restriction imposed pursuant to the above said 'Look out Circular' to the Immigration Office.

The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is an accused in C.C.No.3449 of 2018, RC.No.4E/2016, RC No.4E/2017 and RC.No.14E/2018 on the file of the respondent police. He would further submit that investigation in R.C.No.4E/2017 has been completed and it has culminated into C.C.No.3449 of 2018 and pending trial on the file of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Chennai. In respect of the other two crime numbers, the investigation is still pending. The petitioner had intended to travel to the USA to visit his family members, who are residing in New York as well as San Francisco. The petitioner had intended to travel out of India on 28.04.2026 and return to India on 19.05.2026. While so, the respondent has issued 'Look Out Circular' against the petitioner and hence, the petitioner is facing difficulty in travelling abroad and there is every chance of the petitioner being stopped at the airport. He would further submit that in similar circumstances, the petitioner had approached the lower Court as well as this Court on several occasions and he has been granted permission to travel abroad on certain conditions and he had complied with those conditions and returned to India after travelling abroad and hence, the present petition has been filed seeking to withdraw the 'Look Out Circular'.

Mr.K.Srinivasan, the learned Special Public Prosecutor(CBI) appearing for the respondent has filed a statement of objection. He would submit that the petitioner has mentioned wrong Crime numbers. Though the investigation in RC.No.4E/2017 has been completed and culminated into CC.No.3349 of 2018 and pending trial on the file of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, later, an application filed by the prosecution for further investigation is also pending in CC No.3349 of 2018 and investigation in other cases is pending and he would submit that there is every possibility of the petitioner absconding and not being available for trial and that is the reason the ''Look Out Circular'' has been issued against him and kept live. However, the learned Special Public Prosecutor would submit that in the event of this Court granting permission to the petitioner to travel abroad, the respondent has no objection to keep the 'Look Out Circular' in abeyance for the period of travel, since the petitioner was earlier granted permission to travel abroad, however, subject to imposition of conditions.

Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the entire materials on record.

The petitioner is an accused in Crime Nos.RC4E/2016, RC4E/2017 and RC14E/2018 on the file of the respondent police. However, it is seen from the records that the petitioner has earlier been granted permission to travel abroad on certain conditions and he has also come back to India. Though this petition has been filed in respect of Crime No.RC.4E/2016, it is now represented by the learned Special Public Prosecutor for the respondent that the 'Look Out Circular' has been issued in Crime No.RC.4E/2017 and it is still in force.

In view of the above, the respondent is directed to issue a communication to the Immigration Bureau/Authorities concerned, to keep the 'Look Out Circular' issued in Crime No.R.C.4E/2017 in abeyance for the period between 27.04.2026 and 20.05.2026. The petitioner shall before leaving the shores of India give the details of place of stay in New York and the place of stay in San Francisco. The petitioner shall also give the international roaming number to the respondent police and he shall be available for communication by the respondent.

Needless to say, that the ''Look Out Circular, shall be revived after 20.05.2026.

Accordingly, this criminal original petition is allowed.