HC recalls order in The Wire founder status case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday recalled its order setting aside the Centre’s decision to reject The Wire founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan’s plea seeking conversion of his Person of Indian Origin status to Overseas Citizen of India, saying he is prima facie guilty of suppressing facts.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav also recalled its May 13 order asking the authorities to consider an application by the US citizen for a “return visa” and allowing him to travel to Estonia between May 14 and 19.

The judge said the journalist failed to disclose the existence of a 2020 Allahabad High Court order that granted him anticipatory bail in a criminal case and imposed conditions, such as surrendering his passport and restricting travel abroad without permission from the trial court concerned. Stating that it is always believed that a petitioner approaches the court with “full disclosure,” Justice Kaurav issued notice to Vardarajan and asked him to file an affidavit in seven working days to explain his conduct.

“A perusal of the entire pleadings and the submissions till now by the petitioner, nowhere discloses the binding directions of the Allahabad High Court to the petitioner. In all fairness, the petitioner should have truthfully disclosed the said aspect.