On plea by UK-based Indian, Gujarat HC issues notice to Passport Section of High Commissioner of India in London

The petition states that Patel has been residing successful London for the past 20 years and his archetypal passport expired successful 2020.

He had applied for passport renewal and a caller passport was issued by the Passport Section of the High Commissioner of India successful February 2020, which was valid until February 2022.

“Before the expiry of the passport, the petitioner applied for renewal by mode of filing an exertion and paying the requisite fee. However, the exertion was kept pending and the petitioner was informed by email correspondence that helium had been called upon for a little mentation pertaining to alleged suppression of accusation of a tribunal lawsuit registered against him (in India),” the petition said.

“The petitioner erstwhile came to beryllium apprehended successful transportation with an offence of impersonation successful 2003-2004 by the Maharashtra police. A thorough hunt has been made by the petitioner arsenic to the pendency of immoderate transgression lawsuit against him successful India. Despite each sizeable attempts, nary specified accusation could beryllium fetched… The petitioner approached (Passport Section) to question implicit accusation surfaced successful the constabulary verification. However, thing but the lawsuit fig is being provided to him…”said the petition.

Patel has besides contended that the passport had been issued successful 2020 astatine the clip of renewal “without raising immoderate protest” and present “wishes to question backmost to India for visiting household members, who are presently nether authorities of despair and successful request of the petitioner”.

In an oral order, made disposable connected Friday, the Gujarat High Court issued a announcement to the passport conception of the High Commissioner of London done the Ministry of External Affairs and said, “It is submitted that the practice of the petitioner dated September 21, 2024 has not been replied to oregon adjudicated, thereby prejudicing the petitioner arsenic the petitioner is not capable to hint the details with respect to (the case) of 2004, connected the ground of which, the renewal exertion for passport of the petitioner has not been granted.”

The tribunal has granted clip until December 23 for the respondents to record their reply to the notice.

Advocate Dave said, “Right to question is simply a cardinal close of a person. The interest is that if a idiosyncratic wants to travel backmost to the location country, wherever the alleged constabulary ailment is filed, past determination should beryllium nary occupation successful renewing the passport. The contented should originate if a idiosyncratic wants to flight the country. Moreover, my lawsuit has nary entree to details of this alleged transgression lawsuit against him.”