The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal permission to fly abroad, PTI reported. However, the court issued a notice to the Centre on his plea challenging the lookout notice against him.
Justice Suresh Kait told Goyal that he must deposit Rs 18,000 crore with the court if he wishes to fly abroad. The court was hearing Goyal’s plea challenging the lookout circular on the grounds that no case was filed against him when he was deboarded from a Dubai-bound flight on May 25.
The lookout circular was issued by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, which comes under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office has summoned Goyal to appear before it on July 10. The ministry had issued the circular against Goyal after an inspection had found large-scale irregularities at Jet Airways.
Goyal and his wife had resigned from Jet Airways in March, but the airline suspended operations in April following massive debt. Naresh Goyal was the airline’s chairperson and was also on the board when he resigned. Anita Goyal was also on the Jet Airways board.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has ordered an investigation into the debt-ridden airline and several sister firms.
Delhi High Court judge Vibhu Bakhru had on July 5 recused himself from hearing the case, but did not explain why he did so.
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