Section 498A · 8 February 2026
Look Out Circulars (LOCs) Cannot Be Opened Routinely in Section 498A IPC Matrimonial Cases
High Court of Andhra Pradesh
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An NRI technician working in Dubai faced an FIR under Section 85 BNS / Section 498A IPC. When he returned to India to attend maintenance proceedings, police opened an LOC against him, stopping him at the airport and putting his foreign employment at risk.
The High Court held that LOCs are coercive measures intended for grave economic offences or threats to national sovereignty, not for routine matrimonial disputes under Section 498A IPC. Opening LOCs mechanically curtails the fundamental right to personal liberty and livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Relevant provisions: Article 21 and 226 of the Constitution of India / MHA LOC Guidelines, 2021
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