HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.SHRAVAN KUMAR WRIT PETITION No.22982 of 2025

ORDER

Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.R.Mangulal, learned standing counsel appearing on behalf of respondents. With the consent of the parties, the writ petition is being taken up for disposal at the admission stage itself.

2. This writ petition is filed seeking the following prayer:-

“declaring the action of the respondent No.2 in refusing to renew/issue Passport to the petitioner in pursuance of renewal application dated 25.06.2025 and issuance of proceedings of the respondent No.2/ Regional Passport Officer vide its proceedings bearing No.HY1075300504825 dated 22.07.2025 as illegal, arbitrary, violation of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and against principles of natural justice and direct the respondent No.2 herein to process the petitioners application 08.07.2025 for renewing and issuing a fresh passport with all its necessary charges without reference to the pendency of Criminal Cases against the petitioner.”

3. The case of the petitioner is that he is holding passport vide No.J2823973 dated 03.01.2011 which got expired on 01.01.2021. Thereafter, petitioner has applied for renewal of passport before respondent authorities vide File No.HY1075300504825 seeking for renewal of his passport. After police verification, it is stated that petitioner is involved in criminal cases in C.C.Nos.964/2022, 971/2022 and 1031/2022 pending on the file of Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-XI Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Ranga Reddy Distrct at Rajendranagar. Subsequently, respondent authorities rejected the renewal application of the petitioner on the ground of pending criminal cases. Aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition is filed.

4. Today when the matter has been taken up for hearing, learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that while dealing with the similar circumstances, this Court vide order dated 07.04.2025 had disposed of the W.P.No.10352 of 2025 with certain conditions and learned counsel for the petitioner further pray this Court to pass similar order as passed in W.P.No.10352 of 2025.

5. Learned Standing counsel appearing on behalf of respondent Nos.1 and 2 reported no objection in passing similar orders.

6. Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent authorities to consider the case of the petitioner and take steps for release of the passport in due compliance of the findings of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Vangala Kasturi Rangacharyulu v. Central Bureau of Investigation, 2020 Crl.L.J. (SC) 572. The directions are as follows:

(i) The petitioner shall submit an undertaking along with an affidavit in C.C.Nos.964/2022, 971/2022 and 1031/2022 pending on the file of Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-XI Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Ranga Reddy Distrct at Rajendranagar, stating that the petitioner will not leave India during pendency of the said C.C. without permission of the Court and the petitioner will cooperate with the Trial Court in concluding the criminal proceedings.

(ii) The Trial Court shall issue a certified copy of the undertaking along with an affidavit within Two (2)

weeks from the date of filing of the undertaking.

(iii) The petitioner shall submit the certified copy of the aforesaid undertaking along with the reply/explanation before the concerned Passport Officer for consideration of his application for renewal of passport.

(iv) The Passport Authority shall consider the documents in the light of the observations made by the Court as well as the undertaking and other documents filed by the petitioner. The petitioner shall also be at liberty to rely on the decisions in this regard.

(v) The Passport authority is directed to renew the passport of the petitioner without raising the objection relating to the pendency of the criminal proceedings before the Trial Court.

(vi) The petitioner shall deposit the original passport before Principa