Delhi HC orders to recall LOC against Pradeep Koneru

The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to recall a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Pradeep Koneru, a suspect in the meat exporter and alleged hawala dealer Moin Akhtar Qureshi case.

Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal's order came based on observation that Koneru has joined the investigation whenever required.

The order was delivered on April 2.

However, the court directed him to cooperate in the investigation and furnish the details of foreign countries a week prior to his visit to the agency.

The court said that he will not travel abroad for more than two weeks in a month.

The court was hearing Koneru's plea seeking quashing of LOC issued against him.

Koneru's advocate told the court that two agencies -- the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) -- are investigating the case.

While the ED has arrayed him as a witness, the CBI has been trying to make him an accused.

Both probe agencies have alleged that Qureshi had "extorted" Rs 7.5 crore from two businessmen -- Pradeep Koneru and Satish Sana -- on the pretext of helping them in their pending court cases using his influence.

The ED said that Qureshi even dropped the names of former CBI Directors Ranjit Sinha and A.P. Singh before the businessmen.

The present case had escalated a fight between CBI's former chief Alok Verma and former Special Director Rakesh Asthana who accused each other of taking bribes.

Verma was finally removed as CBI chief while the government has curtailed Asthana's tenure in the CBI as Special Director, and appointed him as the new Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

--IANS

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