Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

Delhi HC orders restoration of Lalit Modi's passport

Darpan News Desk Canadian Press, 27 Aug, 2014 11:51 AM
    Paving the way for the return of suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi to India, the Delhi High Court Wednesday ordered the restoration of his passport.
     
    A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru allowed Modi's plea challenging the revocation of his passport.
     
    The regional passport office in Mumbai had revoked Modi's passport March 3, 2011, following an Enforcement Directorate probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL.
     
    Modi is facing cases under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) related to the IPL and his presence was required before the Enforcement Directorate.
     
    The bench said it was not expressing any opinion with regard to the alleged FEMA violations by Modi, who is currently in Britain.
     
    The bench held that the revocation order was invalid.
     
    "We must examine the direct and inevitable consequence of the revocation order. At the time the revocation order was passed, the appellant was already abroad in Britain.
     
    "The direct consequence of the revocation order was that the appellant (Modi) could not travel to any country outside of Britain.
     
    "He could not attend any conferences or meetings in any other country where he could have expressed his views on cricket or on the organisation and administration of cricket.
     
    "To that extent, it can be said that the 'direct and inevitable' consequence of the revocation order was to impinge upon his freedom of speech and expression," the judgment said.
     
    "Now, this could be legitimate if the revocation order could be said to be in the interests of the general public, of course, limited to the interests of 'public order, decency or morality'.
     
    "The alleged infraction on the part of the appellant (Modi) could hardly be stated to fall foul of 'public order, decency or morality'. Therefore, in our view, the revocation order was invalid," the court said.
     
    Modi, who has been elected president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association but remains banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), had challenged the single bench order of Jan 16, 2013 that dismissed his plea challenging the revocation of his passport.
     
    The Enforcement Directorate had made a request to the Regional Passport Office in Mumbai that Modi be either called back or his passport be revoked.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    With government change, how Badal changed tone on MSP

    With government change, how Badal changed tone on MSP
    Is Rs.50 greater than Rs.60? Or for that matter can it be greater than even Rs.170? Yes, if you go by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

    With government change, how Badal changed tone on MSP

    Anonymous donor pledges $1.6M to 40 Grade 8 students

    Anonymous donor pledges $1.6M to 40 Grade 8 students
    An anonymous donor has pledged $1.6 million to 40 Grade 8 students in Leamington, Ont. 

    Anonymous donor pledges $1.6M to 40 Grade 8 students

    India launches Five Foreign Satellites, Modi wants one for SAARC

    India launches Five Foreign Satellites, Modi wants one for SAARC
    India Monday placed in orbit five foreign satellites, prompting a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop a SAARC satellite to be "dedicated to our neighbourhood as a gift from India".

    India launches Five Foreign Satellites, Modi wants one for SAARC

    Our Mars mission cost less than Hollywood film 'Gravity': Modi

    Our Mars mission cost less than Hollywood film 'Gravity': Modi
    The Indian space programmes are most cost effective and the cost incurred for the Mars mission was less than the money invested to make the Hollywood movie "Gravity", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Monday.

    Our Mars mission cost less than Hollywood film 'Gravity': Modi

    India to help 600 nationals return from Iraq this week

    India to help 600 nationals return from Iraq this week
    The government Monday said it will facilitate the return of over 600 Indians from non-conflict areas of Iraq this week, as efforts continued to secure the safe release of Indians in captivity in war-torn areas of the Gulf nation.

    India to help 600 nationals return from Iraq this week

    Harsh Vardhan clarifies on sex education, slams UPA's 'crudity'

    Harsh Vardhan clarifies on sex education, slams UPA's 'crudity'
    Seeking to end an "unseemly controversy" kicked up by his views on sex education, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Friday denied that he proposes a ban on sex education in schools, saying he supports "pedagogy that is scientific and culturally acceptable".

    Harsh Vardhan clarifies on sex education, slams UPA's 'crudity'