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2017 (1) TMI 1342 - HC - FEMAPurchase of agricultural lands in India in violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) - Detention of passport - Look Out Circular issued - Whether the passport of the petitioner can be impounded and the impugned notices issued by the respondents are sustainable? - Held that:- As per the instructions issued by the respondents/ department, look out circular can be issued against (i) persons with terrorist or militant links (ii) beligerent foreigners (iii) foreigners previously noticed for violations of visa conditions (iv) persons required by court in criminal/civil cases who are absconding and (v) absconding offenders wanted by Police/CBI/Customs/Central Excise/Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and other competent investigation agencies. In the present cdase, no where it was mentioned in the impugned circular that the petitioner comes under any of the categories mentioned in the instructions given by the respondents themselves. In so far as impounding of passport is concerned, the Honourable Supreme Court in the case of Suresh Nanda vs. CBI mentioned [2008 (1) TMI 876 - SUPREME COURT], has held that the police may not have power under Section 102 (1) of Code of Civil Procedure to seize a passport or to impound the same. It was further held that impounding of a passport can only be done by the Passport Authority under Section 10 (3) of the Passports Act, 1967.as per Section 104 of Cr.P.C., a 'document' does not include a passport. In the present case, it is not the case of the respondents that they have taken necessary steps under Section 10 of the Passports Act to impound the passport Act and therefore, the mere detention of the passport of the petitioner at the airpott without following the provisions contained under Section 10 of the Passport Act and issuing the look out circular without issuing prior notice are not legally sustainable. It is brought to the notice of this Court that after dismissal of writ petitions filed by petitioner before the Kerala High Court, the respondents themselves wanted the petitioner to appear for inquiry only at Delhi on the ground that cumulatively, investigation can be done in Delhi. At any rate, it is contended that the petitioner is cooperating with the enquiry. It is to be noted that the petitioner's passport, which has been impugned by the second respondent, is in the custody of the authorities concerned for the past 30 days. In the meantime, the petitioner has appeared before the authorities for inquiry on 15.01.2017 and 23.01.2017 and extended his cooperation for conducting the enquiry. Therefore, impounding of the petitioner's passport is not warranted. In this case, in the impugned notices, there is no reason has been mentioned for calling the petitioner an absconder. It is also to be noted that the impugned look out circular has been issued without any prior notice to the petitioner and without giving him a reasonable opportunity. It is also not the case of the respondents that they have taken necessary action as contemplated under Section 10 of the Passport Act, without doing so, the impugned orders are legally not sustainable. This Court direct the respondents to return the passport to the petitioner forthwith after cancelling the Look Out Circular with stringent conditions: [i] the petitioner will appear before the authority concerned for the enquiry as and when he has been summoned when a notice is given to a reasonable time for his appearance; [ii] the petitioner will undertake before this Court that he will specifically cooperate with the inquiry and will not abscond from the proceedings; [iii] he will abide any other reasonable conditions which may be imposed by the authority concerned; and [iv] he may be entitled for the assistance of a lawyer but the lawyer will be only present in the office of the respondent at the time of enquiry.
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