RAVULAPALLY RAVINDRANATH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) A passport came to be issued to the appellant by the passport authority earlier on 19/2/1983. Upon expiry of the old passport, the appellant claims that a passport bearing No.L2774029 was issued on 21/6/2013 which was to remain valid till 20/6/2023. The appellant claims that he submitted an application dtd. 27/5/2023 to the respondent authorities for renewal of the passport which was to expire on 20/6/2023.

(2.) A Show Cause Notice, dtd. 14/9/2023, came to be issued by the passport authority seeking an explanation regarding suppression of material information in the passport application regarding the involvement of the appellant in some criminal cases. Needless to say that, according to Sec. 12 of the Passports Act, 1967, if a person knowingly furnishes any false information or suppresses any material information with a view to obtaining a passport or travel document, it would be an offence which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both.

(3.) After the receipt of the notice, the stand of the appellant as is reflected from the pleadings is that there is in fact an F.I.R. registered under Ss. 188, 269, 341, 143 r/w Sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code filed against the appellant with Satyanarayanapuram Police Station, Vijayawada, which resulted in the filing of a criminal case which is pending trial before the III Additional Junior Civil Judge, Vijayawada. It is stated that the appellant did not have knowledge about any such criminal case having been registered or was pending trial and therefore an appropriate reply was submitted by the appellant to the Show Cause Notice, dtd. 14/9/2023. It is stated that not only that reply has not been considered but the respondent authorities had even failed to issue the passport duly renewed in his favour.