done: arun
Hyderabad: Telangana high court said that pending criminal cases cannot be ground for rejecting the renewal of a passport and directed the regional passport officer to release a petitioner’s passport within two weeks from Dec 9.
Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by a Khammam-based businessman, who was accused of being in possession of explosives and a case was registered against him in Khammam rural police station in May 2021.
The court also directed the petitioner to submit an affidavit before the senior civil judge-cum-assistant sessions judge in Khammam, stating that he will not leave the country while the case is under trial without the permission of the court and that he will cooperate with the trial court in concluding the criminal proceedings.
The petitioner should submit the certified copy of the same with his explanation before the passport officer concerned for consideration of his application for the release of the passport, said the judge.
While directing the RPO to consider the case in light of the observations made by the courts as well as the undertaking and other documents filed by the petitioner, the court also allowed the petitioner to approach the principal senior civil judge in Khammam, seeking permission to travel abroad. It also directed the latter to consider the same in accordance with the law.
The petitioner had earlier approached the high court saying that rejecting the renewal of his passport was illegal, arbitrary and in violation of his rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
