'Right To Travel Abroad Is Basic Human Right': P&H High Court Allows Ex-DSP Convicted In Bribery Case To Travel Abroad

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has allowed Raka Ghirra, an ex-DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) convicted in a bribery case, to travel abroad. The Court reiterated that the right to travel abroad is an important basic human right.Justice Aman Chaudhary was hearing an application filed by the applicant–appellant seeking permission to travel abroad for a period of one month. The applicant, aged 61 years, had been convicted in a bribery case, and sought to visit Spain, Switzerland and Czechia from 10.04.2026 to 10.05.2026. It was submitted that she had earlier been granted permission to travel abroad during trial on two occasions and had returned within time, and in support of her request, she furnished flight tickets, hotel bookings and details of her movable and immovable properties. The Central Bureau of Investigation opposed the plea but sought the imposition of stringent conditions in case permission was granted.The Court took note of earlier judicial precedents, including Satish Chandra Verma vs. Union of India [2019(2) SCT 741], wherein it was held that the right to travel abroad is an important basic human right, with reference to the judgment in Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India [(1978) 1 SCC 248], which recognized the significance of such freedom as part of personal liberty. It also referred to decisions where permission to travel abroad had been granted subject to conditions. “The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right for it nourishes independent and self-determining creative character of the individual, not only by extending his freedoms of action, but also by extending the scope of his experience. The right also extends to private life; marriage, family and friendship are humanities which can be rarely affected through refusal of freedom to go abroad and clearly show that this freedom is a genuine human right,” the Court observed, citing precedents.Accordingly, the Court allowed the application and granted permission to travel abroad for the specified period, subject to conditions including furnishing bail bonds backed by property documents, providing a surety of Rs. 30 lakh, and a bank guarantee of Rs. 10 lakh to be forfeited in case of failure to return. The applicant was also directed to submit her itinerary, tickets and visa details, restrict travel to the specified countries, appear before the authorities within three days of return, and surrender her passport thereafter, along with other compliance requirements.Case Title: Raka Ghirra vs. CBI Chandigarh [CRM-5850-2026 and CRM-11450-2026 in CRA-S-719-2024]Click Here To Read/Download Order

'Right To Travel Abroad Is Basic Human Right': P&H High Court Allows Ex-DSP Convicted In Bribery Case To Travel Abroad

Saksham Vaishya

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