Gujarat: NRI man gets relief from HC in ‘no passport renewal due to wrong-side driving case’

In a breather to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) whose passport renewal was denied because of a wrong-side driving case registered against him, the Gujarat HC today finally granted him relief. Without a valid passport, NRI Mohasin Surati was facing visa cancellation and possible deportation.

Granting relief, Justice Aniruddha Mayee directed the Regional Passport Officer (RPO) to process Surati’s passport renewal application within four weeks.

His renewal request had been rejected on August 25 by the Indian Embassy in Kuwait on the grounds that a criminal case related to the traffic violation was pending before a Lunawada court and that he had not disclosed this in his renewal application. To secure relief, Surati gave an undertaking that he would return to India and appear before the Lunawada magistrate's court to face the pending proceedings.

Considering the nature of the offence and the circumstances, the court noted that the petitioner would face serious consequences if his passport was not renewed.

The court therefore directed the RPO to evaluate and process Surati’s passport renewal application within four weeks in accordance with the law.