W.P.No.22324 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 23.06.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE Mr.JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH W.P.No.22324 of 2025 Prashanna Ramanujacharai Madhavan .. Petitioner Vs. 1.Regional Passport Office Coimbatore 1 st Floor Corporation Commercial Complex Opp. Thandumariamman Koil Avinashi Road, Coimbatore 641 018 2.The Inspector of Police AWPS, Vadapalani Chennai Crime No.2/2022 .. Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the 1 st respondent to renew/reissue the passport to the petitioner based on his application in file No.CB1077512712525 within a time frame stipulated by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.S.Karthikeyan For 1 st Respondent : Mr.G.Subramanian Central Government Counsel O R D E R This writ petition has been filed for the issue of a writ of mandamus directing the 1 st respondent to act upon the application submitted by the petitioner, wherein, the petitioner has sought for renewal/reissue of passport. 1/4 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.22324 of 2025 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Central Government Counsel, appearing on behalf of the 1 st respondent and perused the materials placed on record. 3. An FIR came to be registered against the petitioner and others in AWPS-Vadapalani P.S.Crime No.2/2022 which resulted in the petitioner and others facing trial before the Special Court in Spl.S.C.No.121/2022. Ultimately, the case ended in acquittal by judgment dated 02.12.2024. 4. The petitioner applied for reissue/renewal of passport before the 1 st respondent and the 1 st respondent issued a notice/communication dated 04.04.2025 to the petitioner, calling upon the petitioner to submit an explanation about the pendency of the criminal case in Crime No.2/2022. The petitioner gave an explanation dated 11.04.2025 to the 1 st respondent explaining that the criminal case has already ended in acquittal and the petitioner also submitted a copy of the judgment passed by the Special Court. 5. The grievance of the petitioner is that even thereafter, the 1 st respondent is seeking for repeated explanation, even after being informed that the criminal case 2/4 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.22324 of 2025 has already ended in acquittal. It is under these circumstances, the present writ petition has been filed before this Court. 6. In the considered view of this Court, the criminal case instituted against the petitioner has already ended in acquittal, by virtue of the judgment dated 02.12.2024 passed in Spl.S.C.No.121/2022, on the file of the Magalir Neethimandram (Fast Track Mahila Court), Tiruvallur. In view of the same, the 1 st respondent has to consider the application submitted by the petitioner, as if there is no criminal case pending against the petitioner and the 1 st respondent cannot independently seek for one explanation after the other regarding the criminal case. 7. In the light of the above discussion, there shall be a direction to the 1 st respondent to process the application and renew/reissue the passport to the petitioner, if the petitioner satisfies all the other requirements, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. This writ petition is disposed of with the above direction. No costs. 23.06.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No gya Issue order copy by 24.06.2025 3/4 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.22324 of 2025 N. ANA ND VENKATESH , J. gya To 1.Regional Passport Office Coimbatore 1 st Floor Corporation Commercial Complex Opp. Thandumariamman Koil Avinashi Road, Coimbatore 641 018 2.The Inspector of Police AWPS, Vadapalani Chennai Crime No.2/2022 W.P.No.22324 of 2025 23.06.2025 4/4 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis