Court allows ritu tawde to renew expired passport during trial Mumbai: A sessions court on Monday allowed mayor and BJP corporator Ritu Tawde to renew her expired passport, even as she faces trial for the alleged assault of schoolteachers. The decision follows a recent rejection of the discharge plea filed by the politician, where the court noted there was sufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges. The travel document expired in May 2025, prompting Tawde to seek the court’s permission for its renewal from the passport office. Additional Sessions Judge YP Manathkar noted that the prosecution had raised no objection to the administrative request. After reviewing the charges and the current status of the matter, the judge observed that maintaining a valid passport would not interfere with the upcoming legal proceedings.“There seems no reason for rejecting her permission to renew her passport. Renewal of her passport will not hamper the trial of the case,” the judge said. Despite granting the request for renewal, the court has placed strict limitations on Tawde’s movement to ensure her presence during the trial. The judge granted the permission on the specific condition that the “Applicant shall not travel abroad without taking prior permission of this Court.” The case against the mayor stems from a 2016 incident at a municipal school in Shastri Nagar, where a dispute over a teacher’s transfer allegedly led to a physical confrontation. It is alleged that Tawde and several others used criminal force against staff members, with victims specifically identifying her as an aggressor. The judge noted that the evidence presented was “more than sufficient to frame charge against the applicant,” as the victims had “categorically named” her as the person who assaulted them.
