IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No.6209 of 2026

06.03.2026 Between:

Srinivasa Reddy Reddeppagari …Petitioner AND The Union of India, rep., by its Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, C.T.V. Division, TV-1 Section, Patiala House Annex, Government of India, New Delhi-110 001 & others.

…Respondents

ORDER:

This Writ petition is filed to declare the action of the respondents in refusing to renew the petitioner’s passport vide Passport Number Z3595165 in File No.HY1075771395325, only on the ground that a crimes are registered against the petitioner vide Crime Nos.396 of 2023, 358 of 2019 of RIMS Police Station, YSR Kadapa District, Crime No.26 of 2022 of Kallur Police Station, Chittor District, Crime No.74 of 2023 of Anantapur I – Town Police Station, Ananthapuram District, Crime No.396 of 2023 of Kadapa-II Town Police Station, YSR District, Crime No.321 of 2022 of Kadapa-I Town Police Station YSR District, is pending, as illegal, arbitrary, contrary to law, and in violation of the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, and consequently to direct the respondents to process the said application and issue a passport to the petitioner.

2. Heard Sri Ashok Reddy Kanathala, learned counsel for the petitioner and Smt N.V.R.Rajya Lakshmi, learned Standing Counsel for Central Government representing Sri N.Bhujanga Rao, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, for respondent Nos.1 and 2.

Perused the record.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that mere pendency of criminal proceedings cannot be a ground for the renewal of passport. He further submits that the cases registered against the petitioner are under investigation and charge sheet has not yet been filed before the jurisdictional criminal Court.

4. Learned Standing Counsel submits that the petitioner is required to approach the concerned Criminal Court and seek permission/NOC for issuance of passport, as held by the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court in W.A.No.194 of 2026, dated 17.02.2026, wherein the Division Bench has observed as follows:

“13. In the light of the principle laid down by the Apex Court concerning the interpretation of GSR 570(E) dated 25.08.1993 and Office Memorandum dated 10.10.2019, we are of the considered view that the appellant should make an application for seeking NOC from the concerned trial courts where criminal cases are pending against him. It is upon issuance of NOC that the appellant should file an application for renewal of the passport. In case the courts prescribe a period for which the passport is to be issued, the passport authority should honour that period. Otherwise, if it does not stipulate any period, the notification provides default rules, including issuance for a shorter period, ordinarily one year, in appropriate cases.”

5. Considering the respective submissions and in view of the pending investigation in the above criminal cases registered against the petitioner, this Court deems it appropriate to direct the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional Criminal Court and file appropriate application by enclosing copies of FIRs in the cases registered against the petitioner, and seek NOC for renewal of passport. Upon filing such application, the jurisdictional Criminal Court shall pass appropriate orders in accordance with law. The petitioner upon furnishing such NOC before the passport authority, the same shall be considered for renewal of the passport in accordance with law.

6. It is made clear that the NOC that may be issued by the jurisdictional Criminal Court for obtaining passport shall not be construed as a permission to travel abroad. In case the petitioner intends to travel abroad during pendency of criminal proceedings, the petitioner shall file a separate application before the jurisdictional Criminal Court seeking permission to travel abroad, by specifying the purpose and duration of travel, and the criminal Court shall consider the applic