Ludhiana: The Punjab and Haryana high court has ordered central passport authorities to decide within a month whether to cancel travel documents allegedly issued to individuals facing a litany of criminal charges across three states.The high court has directed the regional passport officer (RPO) in Chandigarh to pass a “reasoned order” following a petition from a Ludhiana physician, who claims his legal rivals secured full-validity passports by concealing their involvement in seven pending criminal cases.Allegations of ConcealmentThe petitioner, Dr Sumeet Sofat, alleges that the accused individuals are embroiled in a 22-year dispute with him over prime real estate in Ludhiana’s Threeke village. He claims the group managed to bypass mandatory background checks despite facing FIRs (First Information Reports) in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The petitioner claim the accused face charges including financial crimes (forgery, cheating, and impersonation), violent offences (multiple criminal cases related to the long-standing property feud), and legal violations (alleged breach of Section 6(2)(f) of the Passport Act, which restricts the issuance of passports to those facing active criminal proceedings without explicit court permission).Claims of Institutional ConnivanceDr Sofat’s plea suggests a deeper systemic failure, alleging that the accused — whom he described as “politically influential” — secured the documents through forged affidavits and false declarations. The petition further claims that one of the accused has already fled to Canada, while others are purportedly preparing to leave the country to evade prosecution. Dr Sofat had sought the immediate impounding of the passports and the initiation of criminal proceedings against both the holders and any officials who may have facilitated the issuance.The Court’s DirectiveDisposing of the petition at the initial stage, the high court refrained from ruling on the merits of the allegations but placed a strict timeline on the RPO. “The competent authority must consider the petitioner’s representation dated Oct 10, 2025, and pass a reasoned order within four weeks, strictly in accordance with the law,” the court observed.By disposing of the matter early, the court avoided prolonged proceedings while ensuring that the Chandigarh RPO is legally bound to investigate the veracity of the doctor’s claims and determine if the passports were obtained through fraudulent means.Key Legal ProvisionsThe case hinges on the Passport Act, 1967, specifically two of its sections. Of this, Section 6(2)(f) prohibits the issuance of a passport if proceedings in respect of an offense alleged to have been committed by the applicant are pending before a criminal court in India. Section 12(1)(b) Outlines penalties for knowingly furnishing false information or suppressing material information for the purpose of obtaining a passport.
