DHIREN BAXI Vs. REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) . The petitioner has filed this petition under article 226 of the Constitution of India, challenging the directions issues by the Passport Authority in its communication dated 8.1.1999 as well as for quashing and setting aside the decision of the Passport Authority in not issuing Passport to the petitioner.

(2.) . The petitioner is a practising Char tared Accountant. Since he was desirous of having a passport, he made an application on 10 3.1999, with all necessary papers. At the time of processing the passport application, the authority found that Some criminal complaints are pending against the petitioner. The petitioner was asked by the Authority to the produce the copy of the judgment and the said information was called for from the petitioner by way of letter dated 21st April, 1997. The petitioner was informed that if he failed to produce such copy, the case of the petitioner will be treated as closed. The Authority has informed the petitioner to produce copy of the Court's judgment on the ground that criminal complaints are filed against the petitioner, which are registered as Crime Register I Nos.3 of 1997, 4 of 1997 and 6 of 1997. At the relevant time, the complaints were filed before the concerned Police Station.

(3.) . It Is submitted by the learned Advocate for the petitioner that, ultimately, the petitioner was released an bail in connection with all the aforesaid criminal cases and at present, the aforesaid cases are pending in the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Rajkot, as Criminal Case Nos. 2819 of 1998, 2774 of 1998 and 6199 of 1998.