KULDEEP SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Prayer in the present petition filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, is for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to issue passport to the petitioner.

(2.) Briefly, the petitioner is facing trial in FIR No. 89 dtd. 12/5/2022 registered under Sec. 15 of NDPS Act at Police Station Baghapurana, District Moga. Owing to the pendency of the case, the petitioner sought permission from the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Moga, to apply for a fresh passport.

(3.) Pursuant to the trial court's permission, the petitioner duly submitted an application for issuance of a passport on 12/3/2025 (Annexure P-3). However, the passport was not granted. Initially, the Passport Office issued a file closure notice on 30/3/2025 (Annexure P-4), followed by a request for clarifications on 29/4/2025 (Annexure P-5) in view of an adverse police verification report. Ultimately, the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, vide the impugned communication dtd. 7/5/2025 (Annexure P-6), directed the petitioner to obtain fresh permission from the trial court explicitly allowing him to 'depart from India' in accordance with Notification No. GSR 570(E) dtd. 25/8/1993.