SUKHMINDER SINGH MANN Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Prayer in the present writ petition field under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India is for issuance of writ in the nature of mandamus directing respondent No.2 -Regional Passport Officer, Amritsar, to renew the passport of the petitioner against file no. ASR079376237424 dtd. 20/3/2024 (Annexure P-1).

(2.) Briefly, the petitioner submitted an application dtd. 20/3/2024 (Annexure P-1) seeking renewal of his passport. Being a serving IPS Officer, petitioner gave prior intimation to the office of Director General of Police, Punjab vide letter dtd. 18/3/2024 (Annexure P-2). It appears that two criminal cases, i.e. FIR No.129 of 2018 and FIR No.192 of 2015, were pending against petitioner. On account of pendency of these cases, respondent No.2 raised an objection, and the Regional Passport Office, Amritsar, sought a report from the Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, regarding the status of the aforesaid FIRs and further advised that the petitioner may obtain permission from the concerned Court. Pursuant thereto, the DGP, Punjab, vide communication dtd. 27/5/2024 (Annexure P-4), directed the petitioner to secure permission from the trial Court for renewal of his passport. In compliance, the petitioner moved appropriate applications before the respective trial Courts, which, vide orders dtd. 21/10/2024 (Annexures P-5 and P-6), permitted renewal of the passport in accordance with the Rules, subject to the condition that the petitioner shall not leave India without obtaining prior permission of the Court.

(3.) In the aforementioned circumstances, the petitioner has filed the instant writ petition before this Court, for the relief/s, as noticed hereinabove.