Nidhi | Feb 20, 2026 |
Bombay High Court Allows GST Fraud Accused to Travel Abroad for Business and Family Trip
The Bombay High Court has allowed a man accused of GST fraud to travel abroad. The Court ruled that the right to travel abroad is a fundamental right to personal liberty and equality.
The bench led by Justice N J Jamadar gave permission to Daulat Mehta, a 68-year-old businessman who is accused of being involved in GST fraud of Rs 399.92 crore, to undertake business trips to London, Paris, Berlin, and Italy for 10 days. Additionally, the court also allowed the accused to travel to Bali for an eight-day family trip.
It was alleged that Mehta had illegally claimed Input Tax Credit (ITC) using fake invoices. This had caused a loss of Rs 400 crore to the government. In January 2021, Mehta was arrested by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence. However, he was released on bail in February 2021, followed by the High Court order.
Mehta requested to grant him permission to travel abroad for 60 days. However, his request was rejected by the magistrate in May 2025, noting that the fraud was huge and there was a risk that he might abscond.
During the high court proceedings, Mehta requested that he needed to travel abroad to expand his business and manage the directors of three companies, including Twinstar Industries Ltd and Originet Technologies Ltd, that are also accused of being involved in the fraud.
The Court noted that ever since Mehta was released on bail, he has not violated any bail conditions or tried to escape the law. The court said a suspicion that is not supported by evidence cannot be used to prevent Mehta from travelling abroad.
The Court said that personal freedom is not just about being free from arrest or detention. It also includes the right to travel abroad and come back to India without any obstacles.
Considering these facts, the court allowed Mehta to travel abroad. He was directed to deposit Rs 1 lakh as security, submit his detailed travel itinerary, and give copies of his passport before the trial court.
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