[BREAKING] Delhi High Court allows Rana Ayyub to travel abroad

The Delhi High Court on Monday allowed journalist Rana Ayyub to travel abroad after the Enforcement Directorate had prevented her from leaving the country through a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued in relation to an alleged money laundering case..After hearing the parties, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh allowed the writ petition filed by Ayyub, and said that reasons for the same would soon follow..At the start of the hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate, submitted the status report sought by the Court at the last hearing..Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for Ayyub, submitted that her client has been in constant touch with the ED and has always been willing to be present for questioning. She also denied the argument by the ED that Ayyub was not willing to join the investigation. She further said that there is nothing to show that Ayyub was evading or avoiding the ED. The LOC was issued on March 28 because the journalist had announced her programme on social media, Grover said. She went on to imply that her client was being punished for asking tough questions."The entire operation is malafide. The press is the fourth pillar of democracy. I am someone who speaks truth to power. I ask tough questions."On the Court's asking, Grover revealed that Ayyub planned to return on April 12..ASG Raju, on the other hand, apprehended that Ayyub would leave the country and never return.At this point, the Court asked Raju,"How do you defend your LOC? It is an admitted fact by you that whenever summons was issued, she joined. So how do you defend that?"Raju replied,"Despite repeated summons, documents have not been supplied. Fake bills have been provided, according to us. Prima facie there is a case of cheating. She cannot run away. Today cooperation part is missing. Appearance is not cooperation."Justice Singh countered,"If any accused person is appearing before agency and agency is saying the person is appearing but not cooperating, what is the stick to measure this? If there is non-cooperation then why don't you arrest her?"Grover added that all documents pertaining to Ayyub's accounts were already with the Mumbai branch of the ED.When the Court asked what was the material on record to issued the LOC, ASG Raju said,"Material is that crores of money have spent by credit card...Now we want her to sit with us. Our case is money has not been used for Covid relief.".Quelling the apprehension that Ayyub would not return to India if allowed to travel abroad, Grover said,"I live in Mumbai in a joint family. I have been living in India always. This flight risk can be said for anything and anyone. Can I run away with money that is frozen? I am cooperating...Can my fundamental right be denied just because there is an inquiry against me?"ASG Raju then said,"Let us sit tomorrow and if you are able to give the entries, we will allow her to go. Why is she not willing to come? She can come today.".Ayyub was stopped at the Mumbai airport on March 29, following the issuance of a Look Out Circular (LOC) against her.This, after the ED attached her assets worth ₹1.77 crore in connection alleged irregularities in the collection of charitable funds for COVID-19 relief work. The agency said that it had issued summons to her earlier as well, but she did not respond. It did not want her to leave the country, as the probe and the filing of the chargesheet in the case would be delayed, ED had argued.On the last date of hearing, ASG Raju contended that Ayyub was involved in a very serious offence and has misappropriated funds collected in the name of relief work."She is involved in a serious offence. she has misappropriated funds. Money was received not only in Indian currency but in dollars. As far as she is concerned, we have found that fake bills have been submitted by her. We have found that the money for relief work has been siphoned off," the ASG said..Grover, however, countered that the summons issued to her client was an afterthought."I am taking an Air India plane to London. First my travel is approved and then it is cancelled. The timing is very interesting. The boarding time is 2 pm. I am cleared by immigration then suddenly some confabulation takes place and I am detained in a room. I am told by officers there that ED is going to send me summons. Please see the timing of the summons. I have regularly appeared and joined. The summon arrived in my email at 1:46 pm. I have to board at 2 pm. This has all been done in haste," she said..After hearing the parties, the Court had sought a status report from the ED, and denied any interim relief to Ayyub..[BREAKING] Rana Ayyub moves Delhi High Court against restrictions on foreign travel