MillenniumPost
Nation

More trouble for Medha Patkar, passport to be impounded

New Delhi: In more trouble for Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activist Medha Patkar, Regional Passport Office Mumbai, is all set to impound her passport for not disclosing the pending criminal cases in her passport application.

Sources in the passport office said that since she has surrendered the travel document on December 9, it is automatically be impounded.

A complaint was filed against the activist in June this year by a journalist stating that Patkar had obtained her passport by concealing and suppressing material facts from the RPO Mumbai.

The complainant had provided the details of 9 criminal cases with documentary evidence, pending against her in various districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Patkar in her passport application of March 30, 2017 claimed that no criminal cases are pending against her and in a column of pending criminal cases, if any, she declared "None".

The activist has reportedly sought time to respond to the notice of the RPO Mumbai while surrendering her passport.

The RPO Mumbai also sought details of pending cases from the Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh, who confirmed to RPO that charge-sheet has been filed against her in five cases.

In the show cause notice to Patkar, the RPO Mumbai asked as to why her passport should not be impounded for failing to disclose information regarding pendency of criminal cases against her.

It noted that nine criminal cases have been registered against her — three are in Barwani, one in Alirajpur and five in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh — and are still pending adjudication.

"While obtaining passport bearing no...dated March 30, 2017 you have not disclosed the fact regarding pendency of above cases and obtained passport by suppression of material information.

"In view of the same it is proposed to impound your passport bearing no...and any other passport if issued subsequently under section 10(3)(e) of the Passports Act 1967. You are requested to state why action should not be taken under section 12(1) of the Passports Act 1967," the notice issued by the passport office on October 18 said.

The passport officials had sought her explanation within 10 days from the date of this communication failing which action would be taken.

National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) President V K Saxena also wrote to the RPO alleging that the NBA activist "deliberately didn't disclose" two other criminal cases lodged by him against her while applying for the travel document.

Next Story
Share it