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Delhi High Court quashes LOCs against former MP Raghu Rama Krishna, businessmen, others

Reiterating earlier judicial precedents, the court in its April 17 order underlined that LOCs are not “a routine tool for law enforcement or debt recovery” and cannot be issued mechanically without providing reasons.

k raghu rajuRaghu Rama Krishna, former YSRCP MP and now Deputy Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly. (Photo: X/@KRaghuRaju)

Disposing of a batch of 33 petitions, some pending since 2022, moved by individuals challenging lookout circulars (LOCs) issued by various authorities against them, the Delhi High Court quashed 13 LOCs issued by financial institutions and 16 others issued by ministries and investigating agencies, permitting the petitioners to travel without court permission.

Reiterating earlier judicial precedents, the court in its April 17 order underlined that LOCs are not “a routine tool for law enforcement or debt recovery” and cannot be issued mechanically without providing reasons.

Justice Purushaindra Kaurav, in the order made public on May 5, disposed of four other petitions relegating the petitioners to approach the competent authority, the court before which the chargesheet/complaint is pending, seeking modification or cancellation of LOCs, without quashing the existing LOCs against them.

Among those relegated to the LOC-issuing authority are former promoter of Bhushan Steel Neeraj Singhal and his wife Ritu Singhal.

Justice Kaurav made it clear that for the 29 petitions where the court has quashed the LOCs, the individuals shall have to provide their itinerary to the concerned authority, that is the authority at whose behest the LOCs were issued — be it financial institutions, ministries or investigating agencies — prior to their departure abroad.

Among those who had challenged the LOCs were former directors of Moser Baer India Ltd Ratul Puri and his mother Nita Puri, directors of M/s Wave Megacity Centre Pvt. Ltd. Manpreet Singh Chadha and Charanjeet Singh, several position holders in real estate firm Assotech Limited.

Those who challenged LOCs issued at the request of financial institutions included Raghu Rama Krishna, former YSRCP MP and now Deputy Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

 

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