Hyderabad: In an unexpected turn that surprised even Telangana high court, a ‘Pakistan-born’ man, who claimed he had never applied for an Indian passport and alleged police harassment to obtain a long-term visa (LTV), produced an Indian passport before the bench. The 35-year-old from Yakutpura had approached a division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin challenging a single judge order that favoured police action. During the appeal, he maintained that he was born in Hyderabad and had never possessed an Indian passport. Obtained in 2022However, when passport authorities and police informed the court that no such passport existed in his name, he produced one, stating that he had obtained it in 2022. Recording the submissions on Feb 25, the bench dismissed the appeal as withdrawn and granted liberty to authorities to take legal action against him.The man was born to a Hyderabad-origin woman married to a Pakistani national. While he claimed to have been born locally, authorities contended that he was born in Pakistan and came to India as a toddler when his mother returned due to domestic issues. His name was reportedly included in his mother’s Pakistani passport, leading to the requirement of an LTV. During the hearing, state and central authorities reiterated that no Indian passport had been issued to him, referring to his own affidavit filed in July 2025. The bench questioned why he had not disclosed the passport to the police during frequent domiciliary visits. Strong remarks“We were hearing him patiently under the impression that some innocent citizen is being harassed, but the progression of the matter indicates otherwise,” the bench observed. The court noted that he initially produced a copy of a passport bearing one name and later a passport with a different name, both claimed to be his. “You allege that you are being harassed for being a Pakistan national to obtain an LTV. Show it on the face of the police officer who comes to you,” a visibly upset bench said. No police excessesAddressing his allegation that police forced him to sign the LTV application, the court asked why this was not mentioned in his affidavit. “Now you say you are compelled after authorities pointed it out. Somebody with an Indian passport is compelled by police to sign an LTV application, but the same police excess not being mentioned in the affidavit is unpalatable,” the court said, before dismissing the appeal after his counsel sought to withdraw it.
