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Judgment
Questioning the action of the respondent No.2-Regional Passport Officer, Vijayawada, in not issuing passport to the petitioner pursuant to her application vide File No.VJF074974437326, dated 24.08.2026 on the ground that the petitioner is accused No.2 in Crime No.345 of 2023 of I-Town Police Station, Ananthapur for the offences under Sections 420, 498-A of Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 & 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Heard Sri P.Nagendra Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home.
Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home Department by placing on record the written instructions of the Inspector of Police, Ananthapuramu-I Town Police Station submitted that the petitioner was initially shown as accused No.2 in Crime No.345 of 2023 for the offences under Sections 498-A, 420, read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 & 4 of the Dowry prohibition Act, 1961 of the Ananthapuramu-I town Police Station and later she was deleted from array of the accused in the said crime.
Perused the material available on record and considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties.
The material reveals that pursuant to the application made by the petitioner for issuance of passport, she was called upon to submit explanation and required documents to the enquiry officer about the adverse police verification report received by them regarding involvement of the petitioner in Crime No.345 of 2023 of Ananthapuramu-I Town Police Station. The written instructions of the Inspector of Police, Ananthapuramu I-Town Police Station placed on record by the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home shows that the petitioner, initially, was shown as accused No.2 in the said crime, however, after a fair, impartial and comprehensive investigation, she was deleted from the array of the accused and charge sheet was filed only against accused no.1 in the above said crime. Therefore, as of now, the petitioner is not at all an accused in Crime No.345 of 2023. Hence, the passport authorities cannot refuse issuance of passport on the ground of her involvement in the above said crime. Even if it is assumed that the petitioner is an accused in a crime, the same is also not a ground to reject the application of the petitioner for issuance of passport in view of the settled principle of law that mere registration of a crime is not a ground for rejection of the application for issuance of passport.
In view of the above, this writ petition is disposed of, directing the passport authorities to consider the application of the petitioner for issuance of passport as per law. There shall be no order as to costs.
As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed.