Delhi HC allows businessman Jayant Nanda to travel abroad, imposes conditions

The Delhi High Court on Saturday granted permission to Non-Resident businessman Jayant Nanda to travel to UAE and Thailand with conditions that include that his wife shall not leave the country till his return.

Nanda is facing an investigation in the Black Money Act. He had sought permission to travel abroad in March-April 2022 for business purposes.

Justice V Kameswar Rao allowed the application moved by Jayant Nanda directing him to furnish security by way of an unencumbered property of a value of Rs 10 crores or more and a liquid security for a sum of Rs 1 crore, either in the form of a bank guarantee or in the form of a fixed deposit or any other liquid form.

The bench directed Nanda to submit an undertaking that he shall return to India on or before April 06, 2022. His sister Dr Jyotsna Suri shall also stand as a surety and shall execute a surety bond for him guaranteeing his return to the country on or before April 06, 2022.

The High Court directed Jayant Nanda to furnish a full itinerary of his stay in UAE and Thailand, including the places where he would be staying with a functional phone number including his personal mobile number.

The Court also directed that till the petitioner returns to the country on or before April 06, 2022, his wife shall not leave the country. The Deputy Director (Investigation) shall inform the Immigration Bureau once the aforesaid conditions are met.

Advocate RK Handoo, the counsel for the petitioner Jayant Nanda, submitted that Nanda intends to travel to UAE from New Delhi on March 04, 2022; from UAE to Thailand on March 14 and staying there till March 27 or 28 and again shall fly to UAE and return back to New Delhi on April 06, 2022.

The Counsel also submitted that the petitioner intends to travel to UAE as he is a Non-Resident since 1989 and his place of residence is in Dubai from where he carries his business. He is travelling to Thailand to restart the construction of a hotel or resort on the land owned by his company which was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier he was allowed to travel to UAE and UK by this court.

On the other hand, Advocate Vibhooti Malhotra, Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department argued that the request for permission to travel to UAE and Thailand does not deserve any consideration, in as much as the petitioner is under investigation for the commission of an offence punishable under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act 2015. Investigation revealed that the petitioner made huge investments outside India in companies owned or controlled by Dr Jyotsna Suri and her family.

( With inputs from ANI )

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