The Punjab & Haryana High Court on 30 March 2026 allowed the application filed by Raka Ghirra, a 61-year-old former Deputy Superintendent of Police convicted in a bribery case, seeking permission to travel abroad. Justice Aman Chaudhary granted her leave to visit Spain, Switzerland and Czechia for a period of one month from 10.04.2026 to 10.05.2026, subject to stringent conditions. The Court reiterated that the right to travel abroad is an important basic human right.
The applicant submitted that she had previously been granted permission to travel abroad on two earlier occasions — vide order dated 01.12.2016 (during trial) and order dated 10.12.2019 — and had returned within time on both occasions. She furnished flight tickets, hotel bookings and details of her movable and immovable properties. Learned counsel for the U.T. Chandigarh verified the property details. The CBI opposed the application but prayed that stringent conditions be imposed.
The Court referred to the Supreme Court decisions in Parvez Noordin Lokhandwalla v. State of Maharashtra (2020) 10 SCC 77 and Srichand P. Hinduja v. State through CBI (2002 (3) RCR (Crl.) 186), where permission to travel abroad was granted subject to conditions. It further relied upon Satish Chandra Verma v. Union of India (2019 (2) SCT 741), in which it was held that the right to travel abroad is an important basic human right that nourishes the independent and self-determining creative character of the individual and extends to private life, marriage, family and friendship. The Court also referred to the landmark judgment in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) 1 SCC 248.
Keeping in view the aforesaid precedents and the facts of the case, the Court accepted the prayer and granted permission to travel abroad subject to the following conditions:
- The applicant shall furnish necessary bail bonds before the concerned Duty Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate against her properties by submitting the title deeds thereof.
- She shall furnish one surety of her family members in the sum of â‚ą30 lakh to the satisfaction of the concerned Duty Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate.
- She shall also furnish a bank guarantee in the sum of â‚ą10 lakh as security, along with an undertaking by way of an affidavit that if she fails to return within the stipulated period, the said amount shall be forfeited to the State.
- In the undertaking/affidavit, she shall mention her itinerary, attach e-tickets and visa, and state that she will appear within 3 days from the date of her return and surrender her passport forthwith.
- She shall not visit any other country except Spain, Switzerland and Czechia during the permitted period.
- Copies of the order shall be sent to the Embassies of the said countries at New Delhi.
- She shall furnish her mobile number and e-mail ID at the time of furnishing sureties, which shall remain operational at all times.
CRM-11450-2026 was allowed as prayed for and Annexure P-6 was taken on record, subject to just exceptions.
Case Title: Raka Ghirra v. CBI Chandigarh
Case No.: CRM-5850-2026 and CRM-11450-2026 in CRA-S-719-2024
Date of Order: 30 March 2026
Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Aman Chaudhary
Click HERE for full Judgment.
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