THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE JUVVADI SRIDEVI CRIMINAL PETITION No.14058 of 2024

O R D E R

This Criminal Petition is filed by the petitioner-accused seeking to set aside the impugned Order dated 13.09.2024 passed in CRL.M.P.No.2506 of 2024 in Crime No.350 of 2023 by the learned Sessions Judge, Hyderabad, (for short ‘the learned trial Court’) whereby the application filed under Section 6(2)(f) of the Passports Act, seeking issuance of a ‘No Objection Certificate’ for renewal of the petitioner’s passport, was dismissed.

02. Heard Sri P.Prashant, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri M.Ramachandra Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State. Perused the record.

03. Learned counsel for the petitioner-accused submitted that the petitioner’s passport expired on 16.01.2024, and since certain criminal cases are pending against him, the learned trial Court declined to issue a No Objection Certificate for its renewal. It is contended that the petitioner is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved, and that the mere registration of previous cases or the maintenance of a rowdy sheet against him cannot, by itself, be a valid ground to deny the renewal of his passport. Le