SL. No. Dat e Office Not es, r epor t s, or der s or pr oceedin gs or dir ect ion s an d Regist r ar ’s or der w it h Sign at u r es COURT’S OR JUDGE’S ORDERS WPCRL No. 795 of 2026 Hon’ble Rakesh Thapliyal, J. 1. Mr. Pankaj Singh Karki, learned counsel for the petitioner. 2. Mr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, learned Standing Counsel for the Union of India. 3. Ms. Sweta Dobhal, learned Brief Holder for the State. 4. Petitioner Praveen Pundir is praying for direction to the respondent no. 4 – SHO, Police Station – Munni ki Reti, District – Tehri Garhwal to submit police verification report and by subsequent relief praying for direction to issue passport to the petitioner. He submits that petitioner was convicted by judgment and order dated 27/28.03.2024 passed by Special Judge POCSO, Dehradun in Special Sessions Trial No. 23 of 2022 for the offences punishable under Section 363, 366A, 376, 504 IPC and under Section 5 / 6 of POCSO Act and he assailed the same before this Court in Criminal Appeal No. 287 of 2024 wherein the Division Bench by order dated 10.10.2025 suspended the sentence awarded by the trial court pursuant to the judgment and order dated 27/28.03.2024 passed in Special Sessions Trial No. 23 of 2022. The order of the Division Bench is enclosed as Annexure No. 2 to the writ petition. 5. He further submits that sentence has been suspended and on account of this, the Passport Officer cannot withhold the application which he has moved for issuance of the passport. 6. On the previous date, Mr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, learned Standing Counsel for Union of India was directed to get instructions in the matter. Today, Mr. Chaturvedi, on instructions, submits that after receiving police verification report, the Regional Passport Officer by letter dated 08.05.2026 asked the petitioner to provide suitable explanation within 30 days. 7. The period as stipulated in the letter dated 08.05.2026 still subsists, therefore, in such an eventuality, petitioner has remedy to submit his explanation to the Regional Passport Officer. Copy of the letter dated 08.05.2026 is placed before this Court, which is taken on record. Mr. Chaturvedi, learned Standing Counsel for the Union of India, hand over the copy of the letter dated 08.05.2026 issued by Regional Passport Officer, Dehradun to learned counsel for the petitioner during the course of the day. 8. Accordingly, the instant writ petition is disposed of with liberty to the petitioner to submit his explanation before the Regional Passport Officer pursuant to letter dated 08.05.2026 within the stipulated time and if such an explanation will be submitted by the petitioner the Regional Passport Officer, Dehradun is directed to take decision, as per law. (Rakesh Thapliyal, J.) 13.05.2026 SKS