Delhi High Court: In a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (‘BNSS’) against the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (‘DRI’) to seek modification of certain bail conditions imposed vide order dated 11-02-2022 passed by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (‘CMM’), Patiala House Courts, New Delhi, a Single Judge Bench of Anup Jairam Bhambhani, J. modified the condition and directed the Trial Court to return the petitioner his passport that he had surrendered.
Background
The petitioner was accused under Sections 132, 135(1)(a), and (b) of the Customs Act, 1962 and under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (‘COFEPOSA’).
The petitioner informed the Court that he dropped the prayer for modification of condition 1 which required him to take prior permission of the court before leaving the country and restricted his prayer in the precent proceedings only to modification of condition 2 wherein his passport had been surrendered to the court.
The petitioner submitted that he sought the return of his passport for keeping it renewed, if and when so required, so that he does not have to approach the Court for that purpose. It was also submitted that even though the petitioner would seek prior permission before travelling out of the country, the time required for obtaining permission to travel abroad would be saved if he got his passport back.
It was contended by the petitioner that a similar bail condition imposed on co-accused Zakir Khan had been modified to the same extent vide order dated 22-10-2024 made by a Co-ordinate Bench of the Court.
Analysis and Decision
The Court analyzed the contentions put forth and modified condition 2 contained in order dated 11-02-2022 and directed the Trial Court to return the petitioner’s passport that he had surrendered within 2 weeks after an application to that effect is made by the petitioner.
While disposing of the petition, the Court clarified that no modifications had been made in any other conditions imposed through the said order and that the petitioner would be required to take prior permission of the Trial Court before travelling out of the country.
[Ravi Chandra Mishra v. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, 2024 SCC OnLine Del 7725, Decided on 25-10-2024]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For Petitioner — Sr. Advocate Sonia Mathur, Advocate Swarnendu Chatterjee, Advocate Madhumita Kesavani, Advocate Deepakshi Garg, Advocate Harshita Rawat
For Respondents — Advocate Gagan Vaswani for Sr. SC Satish Aggarwala
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