Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:21274-DB Court No. - 29 Case :- WRIT - C No. - 4231 of 2025 Petitioner :- Pakaj Vishwakarma Respondent :- Union Of India And 5 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Shishir Kumar Counsel for Respondent :- A.S.G.I.,C.S.C.,Kiran Bala Hon'ble Ashwani Kumar Mishra,J. Hon'ble Vipin Chandra Dixit,J. Counsel for the petitioner is permitted to correct the description of respondent no.1 and also implead Regional Passport Officer as respondent no.7 in the array of parties to the writ petition. Notice on behalf of newly impleaded respondent is accepted by Ms. Kiran Bala. Petitioner's application for renewal of passport apparently has been kept pending on account of his implication in Case Crime No.109 of 2011, under Section 323, 504, 506 IPC & 3(1) SC/ST Act. Reliance is placed upon the Division Bench judgment of this Court in Writ - C No. 41540 of 2023 (Pawan Kumar Rajbhar Vs. Union of India & 2 Ors.), in order to contend that mere pendency of a criminal case cannot be a ground to deny renewal of passport to the petitioner. In the facts of the case, we permit the petitioner to approach the concerned court where the aforesaid case is pending for grant of no objection certificate by the court concerned so that the passport authorities take a fresh decision in the matter relating to renewal of the petitioner's passport. Petitioner, therefore, is at liberty to approach the concerned court which shall act in terms of the law laid down in Pawan Kumar Rajbhar (supra) and based upon its decision, the passport authorities would do the needful by passing appropriate orders within a further period of two months, thereafter. Accordingly, the present writ petition is disposed of. Order Date :- 14.2.2025 Anil Digitally signed by :- ANIL KUMAR PATEL High Court of Judicature at Allahabad