Madras High Court orders disclosure of look-out circulars to affected individuals

In a hearing at the Madras High Court, Justice V Lakshminarayanan stated that the Constitution guarantees an accused the right to be informed of any proceedings against them, and that India does not practice secretive trials. The comment followed a petition by K Padmanabhan, who claimed ignorance of several look-out circulars and red flags filed in his name. The Bureau of Immigration argued that LOCs are confidential documents, a position also supported by the CBI.

The court ordered both agencies to submit an affidavit detailing why LOCs are treated as confidential and how a person can secure permission to travel abroad before a final report is filed. The matter was adjourned to September 16 for further consideration.