"National security considerations" were cited as the key reason by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for off-loading an activist of Greenpeace from a London-bound flight even as the agency alleged that her ticket had been purchased in violation of FCRA rules.
The report, prepared by the Intelligence Bureau and submitted to the Home Ministry, said that the look out circular against Priya Pillai was issued by it on January 9, two days prior to her scheduled departure, on "national security considerations", which led to immigration authorities off-loading her from the flight, official sources said. As per guidelines issued by the Home Ministry in 2010, an officer in the rank of Assistant Director in the IB is authorised to issue look out circular for any individual on the basis of inputs received against the person. The guidelines on look out circular was issued by the Home Ministry following a directive of the Delhi High Court after a man, Vikram Sharma, was off-loaded from a flight in April 2008 following a look out circular issued by the National Commission of Women (NCW) over a matrimonial dispute.
The High Court had said that a statutory body like NCW did not have the jurisdiction to take such step and asked the Home Ministry to frame the guidelines.
Greenpeace India has to seek permission from the Reserve Bank of India before receiving any foreign contribution following an order of the Home Ministry, the sources said. Purchase of air ticket by the UK chapter of Greenpeace for someone working for the India chapter of the international NGO is amounting to receiving funds from abroad, they said, adding no permission had been sought from the RBI in this case. Pillai, a senior campaigner for Greenpeace India, was stopped at the immigration counter at Delhi airport on Sunday before she was to catch a flight to London to attend a conference there.
Pillai was scheduled to address British parliamentarians on January 14 on the issue of "infringement of rights of forest communities".
13/01/15 Daily News & Analysis
The report, prepared by the Intelligence Bureau and submitted to the Home Ministry, said that the look out circular against Priya Pillai was issued by it on January 9, two days prior to her scheduled departure, on "national security considerations", which led to immigration authorities off-loading her from the flight, official sources said. As per guidelines issued by the Home Ministry in 2010, an officer in the rank of Assistant Director in the IB is authorised to issue look out circular for any individual on the basis of inputs received against the person. The guidelines on look out circular was issued by the Home Ministry following a directive of the Delhi High Court after a man, Vikram Sharma, was off-loaded from a flight in April 2008 following a look out circular issued by the National Commission of Women (NCW) over a matrimonial dispute.
The High Court had said that a statutory body like NCW did not have the jurisdiction to take such step and asked the Home Ministry to frame the guidelines.
Greenpeace India has to seek permission from the Reserve Bank of India before receiving any foreign contribution following an order of the Home Ministry, the sources said. Purchase of air ticket by the UK chapter of Greenpeace for someone working for the India chapter of the international NGO is amounting to receiving funds from abroad, they said, adding no permission had been sought from the RBI in this case. Pillai, a senior campaigner for Greenpeace India, was stopped at the immigration counter at Delhi airport on Sunday before she was to catch a flight to London to attend a conference there.
Pillai was scheduled to address British parliamentarians on January 14 on the issue of "infringement of rights of forest communities".
13/01/15 Daily News & Analysis
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