CBI refuses to provide details of lookout notices of fraudsters with the bank

(PTI) New Delhi, Ta. July 28, 2019, Sunday

The RBI had sought details of how many lookout notices had been issued to arrest banks and accused of financial fraud between the years 1 and 2, but the CBI rejected the demand, excusing Article 1 (2) of the Right to Information. The agency claimed that the information currently being investigated could be impacted if information was provided.

According to an RTI activist who sought information, the agency refused to provide further information to Article 2 (1) (h) of the Right to Information. Under this section, information cannot be given which will have an effect on the arrest or proceeding of the accused.

The reply was made by Pune-based RTI activist Vihar Dhruv, who applied to the Ministry of External Affairs, Finance Ministry and CBI for details related to the investigation of the accused who fled the banks.

The details of the expenditure incurred by the agency officials to travel to India to flee to India were also not given to Dhruv.

So the Foreign Ministry turned down their application to the Home Ministry, saying that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of your jurisdiction. As long as the applicant is the only wing of the Bureau of Immigration Intelligence that has been exempted from the transparency provision of the RTI Act.

Lookout Circular for 31 Indian Runaways

Traders and businessmen who have fled the Indian banks with billions of rupees have been included, including liquor major Vijay Mallya and diamond trader Nirav Modi. The CBI has issued a Look Out Circular to arrest those who fled India.

Other fugitives included Vijay Kumar Patel, Sunil Ramesh Rupani, Pushpesh Kumar Vaid, Surendra Singh, Angad Singh, Harsaheb Singh, Harleen Kaur, Ashish Jobanputra, Nishil Modi, Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, and Deepti. Among the foreigners who cheated with the banks were Nitin Sandesara, Member Seth, Nilesh Porkh, Umesh Parekh, Hemant Gadhi, Ishwar Bhatt, and others.