The Patna High Court has expressed its concern over how a person, facing criminal charges, is able to leave the country as part of his Indian Foreign Service (IFS) related duties. It has asked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to produce the IFS officer in question before the court on July 9.

The court was hearing a petition filed by one Rachna Kumari, who had accused an IFS officer Amit Kumar Mishra of breaking their engagement after accepting Rs one crore as dowry. A case (No 415/06) was registered against the bureaucrat on June 27 last year at Laheriasarai in Darbhanga after the intervention of Bihar State Women Commission.

Amit, who secured an anticipatory bail, is reported to have joined his service in Egypt and is presently posted in Cairo in the rank of Secretary.

The High Court has sent notice to MEA and the Indian Embassy in Egypt, and asked the authorities to produce the IFS officer before the court.

A bench headed by Justice Mihir Kumar Jha asked the accused officer why his bail should not be cancelled, as it had been detected that he used forged means to secure his bail.