A Delhi has refused to grant permission to one of the accused in the death of NRI student Anmol Sarna from leaving the country for pursuing his studies abroad.
Chief metropolitan magistrate Veena Rani, however, ordered that passport of accused Shivank Gambhir be released.
"In the present case no itinerary has been provided and the stay of the applicant (Gambhir) is also not specified. Apart from all that, the allegations against the accused are serious and also involves elements of the NDPS Act.
"The investigation is still pending and as it proceeds, the presence of the accused might be required more often. If he is allowed to travel abroad, practical difficulties (for the accused to visit India frequently) may arise which may not be in the interest of justice," the court said.
"I am not much convinced whether the accused will return to India even if heavy conditions are imposed... I am not inclined to permit the applicant/accused to travel abroad," the judge added.
The court's order came on a plea filed by Gambhir seeking permission to travel abroad in order to pursue his studies.
Gambhir had sought that the "passport seized on November 7, 2013, be released. He (Shivank) be allowed to travel abroad, so as to enable him to continue his education in engineering at Bristol University (UK) during pendency of investigation in the case".
Sarna died during a party, where drugs were allegedly consumed, on the intervening night of September 13 and 14 last year at a friend's residence in South Park Apartments at Kalkaji here.
His family members, who were also present during the hearing of Gambhir's plea had, opposed the move and sought its dismissal.
