Conjugal visit to US “yes” but with a condition of Rs80L sureties, court tells NRI facing criminal case in India

There is a criminal case against Amit Lodha, who is facing charges of cheating in Rewari district of Haryana. His passport has also been deposited in the local court

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

An NRI facing a criminal case for cheating in Rewari district of Haryana has been granted permission to visit US, but with a condition of Rs80L sureties deposit.

The Punjab and Haryana high court directed the petitioner, Amit Sureshmal Lodha, who lives in Mumbai, to pay the sureties. He is married to a USA citizen and has a son (out of the wedlock), who is also a USA citizen by birth.

There is a criminal case against Amit Lodha. He is facing charges of cheating in Rewari district of Haryana. His passport has also been deposited in the local court.

While allowing Lodha to travel abroad, the HC asked him to produce two sureties of Rs 40 lakh each

According to the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the high value sureties has been imposed on the petitioner to prove the petitioner his bona fide and to ensure he returns to India when needed for the purpose of the ongoing case.

Justice Vikas Bahal of the HC passed the order after hearing Lodha’s petition who had sought setting aside of Rewari local court order dated December 16, 2020.

Lodha had approached the local court for release of his passport to visit US for a period of 30 days from the date of receiving the passport. The Rewari local court dismissed his plea. Lodha then approached the HC against the local court’s order.

“This court is of the view that the pleas which were raised before the courts below were in fact, sufficient to entitle the petitioner to travel abroad inasmuch as it is the right of every individual to meet his wife and son, residing abroad and the said right could not be curtailed, on account of pendency of a criminal case against the individual. The said right, however, is to be regulated by imposing suitable conditions for securing his presence during the trial,” the HC said, while allowing Lodha to travel abroad on production of two sureties of Rs 40 lakh each.

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