Actor Kangana Ranaut's Passport Renewal Process To Be Expedited Post-Corrections: High Court Told

THE TIMES OF INDIA (June 29, 2021)

Mumbai: The Regional Passport Office (RPO) on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that it will expeditiously process the passport renewal application filed by actor Kangana Ranaut after she amended her plea to the state that there are only FIRs registered and no criminal cases pending against her in any court.

The actor had approached the court for “permission” to renew her passport, which expires on September 15, after the RPO had raised objections over “not mentioning correct facts”.

Kangana, who has to travel to Europe for a shoot, said in her plea that the RPO raised objections when she disclosed that an FIR was filed against her over her tweets.
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NDTV (June 29, 2021)

The Regional Passport Office (RPO) here told the Bombay High Court on Monday it will "expeditiously" decide on renewing Kangana Ranaut's passport once the actor made requisite corrections in her application for the key travel document.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh, who appeared for the RPO, told a bench of Justices SS Shinde and Revati Mohite-Dere that the application that Ms Ranaut had submitted with the passport office in Mumbai, had factual inconsistencies.

He said that for instance, her application said that she had criminal cases pending against her.

However, only an FIR had been registered against her and criminal proceedings in the said case were yet to begin, Mr Singh said.

Mr Singh told the High Court that if Ms Ranaut's counsel, advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, clarified the same before the court, and if the actor made the necessary corrections in her application, the passport office would consider her plea and take an expeditious decision as per procedure.

The bench accepted Mr Singh's statement.

"The learned ASG on instructions submits that application does not mention the correct facts, inasmuch as, it is stated in the said application that criminal cases are pending against the petitioner (Ranaut), when in fact only FIRs are registered against the petitioner," the High Court observed.

"He (Singh) submits that in case the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner is ready to make a statement that no criminal case is pending against the petitioner and make appropriate corrections in the pending application before the Respondent Passport Authority, the said Authority is ready to consider the application for renewal of passport, in accordance with the Passport Act/rules/ procedure, expeditiously," the High Court said in its order.

Advocate Siddiquee then clarified that no criminal proceedings were pending against Ms Ranaut. He also agreed to make the necessary corrections in Ms Ranaut's application.