The High Court has granted permission to environmental lawyer Ritwik Datta to travel to Switzerland and Germany in a case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Justice Subramanyam Prasad noted that Datta, the founder of a legal initiative for forests and the environment, has been practising law in the national capital for the past 21 years and is the recipient of the Livelihood Right Award, 2021.
The court, considering the petitioner’s roots in society, has allowed Datta to undertake foreign trips next week and in December. Datta has scheduled a visit to Geneva, Switzerland, from November 23 to 25, and has also sought permission for a trip to Germany from December 3 to 8.
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The case of Ritwik Datta could have a ‘chilling effect’ on environmental jurisprudence. Datta had challenged the Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against him by the CBI. The agency accused Datta of receiving foreign contributions from the non-profit organization EarthJustice in the United States to halt coal projects in India.
In the application for permission to travel abroad, Datta mentioned his fellowship at the University of Bonn in Germany, where he is scheduled to participate in a Right to Livelihood workshop from December 4 to 7. The court was informed that Datta has also been invited as a guest speaker at various universities in the United States, Chile, Argentina, Thailand, Switzerland, Nigeria, and Germany.
The court has granted permission for Datta’s travel to Geneva and Germany, subject to certain conditions, including a security deposit of ₹500,000.
