News television network NDTV's founders Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika, facing an alleged corruption case, were prevented from flying abroad on Friday on the basis of a "preventive" lookout circular (LOC) issued by the CBI. In a statement, the media company said Roy and his wife were stopped from travelling abroad on the basis of "a fake and wholly unsubstantiated corruption case initiated by the CBI" two years ago.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in New Delhi said a "preventive" LOC was issued against the duo in June in connection with alleged fraud in relation to ICICI Bank. They were stopped from leaving the country on the basis of the LOC, they added. A preventive LOC is aimed at stopping a person from leaving the country but does not warrant detention by authorities. The said LOC was only to prevent the duo from leaving the country, not to detain them, the officials said. Roy and his wife were on their way to an undisclosed destination and were scheduled to return on August 16, NDTV said.