Delhi High Court Dismisses CBI Lookout Circulars Against NDTV Founders

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has annulled the lookout circulars issued by the CBI against NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy. The court's decision comes after the CBI closed its investigation into allegations of corruption related to a loan from ICICI Bank, stating there was no criminal wrongdoing. This development follows the Roys' cooperation with the investigation and the court's earlier observations regarding the futility of retaining the circulars. The case highlights ongoing legal challenges faced by media figures in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 20, 2026, 17:43 IST

Court Ruling on Lookout Circulars

On Friday, the Delhi High Court ruled to annul the lookout circulars that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had issued against Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, former promoters of NDTV.

Lookout circulars are utilized by law enforcement to determine if an individual attempting to leave the country is wanted by authorities.

The CBI had issued these circulars in relation to two first information reports filed in June 2017 and August 2019.

Earlier in May, the court had indicated that maintaining the lookout circulars would be pointless, as the Roys had complied with the summons from 2019 and cooperated with the investigation.

In October 2024, the CBI concluded its investigation into allegations of corruption and fraud against the Roys, stating that there was no evidence of criminal activity regarding a Rs 375-crore loan from ICICI Bank to their company, RRPR Holdings Private Limited.

The CBI's closure report indicated that the loan, which was previously claimed to breach banking regulations, was actually a standard business transaction.

A Delhi court acknowledged this closure report in November 2024 and formally accepted it in January 2025.