Even as the world grappled with first the UK strain and later the double mutant Delta variant, which unleashed mayhem in India during the second wave, the pandemic situation in India was cited as an excuse by an NRI for not returning here to face trial in a Surat court.
A sessions court in Surat permitted NRI Zakir Patel from Bharuch, who holds a UK citizenship, to extend his stay in Britain for one more year after he cited that India was put on the Red List by the UK government and he is advised not to travel. This is the second extension granted to Patel on grounds of the Covid-19 pandemic.
When he was granted bail in 2017, the court in Surat imposed various restrictions including a ban on travel outside Gujarat and to deposit his passport with the court. However, later the court permitted him to go back to the UK and pursue his livelihood for a certain period. He was supposed to return to India and deposit his passport back. However, he filed an application in December 2020 and sought extension in his stay in the UK on the ground of Covid-19 pandemic. He was granted permission to stay for six more months in the UK.
As his UK stay permission was expiring, he filed another application through advocate Rafik Lokhandwala and submitted that due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic at global level and in the UK, the UK government has imposed restrictions on movements of the citizens and their travelling abroad.
Therefore, it would be practically impossible for him to visit India by following the last court order and seeking permission to stay further in the UK for two more years.
Patel also produced a document to show that India has been placed in the Red List and argued that he has been advised not to travel. After perusal of documents, additional sessions judge B A Tailor said on Wednesday, “The say of the applicant is well corroborated by the documentary evidence produced on record.” Granting another extension to stay in the UK on the ground of the prevalent pandemic situation, the court also observed that except the contention of causing delay in trial, nothing adverse has come on record against Patel from the prosecution.
