Huawei CEO can go overseas, says High Court

Huawei Telecommunications (India) chief executive Li Xiongwei’s offence is bailable in nature, said the High Court. The bench was hearing Li’s bail plea as well as his plea challenging the look-out circular (LOC) issued by the department that prevents the Chinese citizen from leaving India. The court said its order granting bail was conditional on Li’s personal bond, a Rs 5 lakh deposit and two persons guaranteeing his return. “Both sureties shall be Indian citizens,” the court said in the order.

Li is a foreign national “and in case he leaves India and decides not to return, then his personal bond may practically become worthless,” the court said.

The court has accepted the personal bond furnished by Li.

It may be recalled that on May 1, Li, a Chinese national, was stopped at New Delhi airport on May 1 and not allowed to board a flight to Bangkok to attend a meeting on behalf of Huawei Telecommunications (India). His boarding pass was cancelled and was not returned to him due to the LOC. He had petitioned the Delhi High Court against the LOC.

Li has an ongoing investigation filed by the income tax department in connection with searches conducted at Huawei premises in February.

CT Bureau