Passport Office issues notice to ‘activist’ Medha Patkar, asks why passport should not be impounded for concealing pending cases
Op IndiaThe Mumbai Regional Passport Office has issued a show-cause notice to ‘activist’ Medha Patkar seeking details on cases pending against her asking why her passport should not be seized for hiding information regarding pendency of cases against her. Read: Sardar Sarovar Dam: The significance of Prime Minister Modi celebrating his birthday at Kevadia The notice to Patkar by RPO Mumbai came after a complaint filed by journalist Sanjeev Jha in June which accused Patkar of obtaining her passport by “concealing” material facts from the RPO The notice states that while obtaining her passport dated March 30, 2017, she did not disclose the pendency of these cases and obtained the passport by suppressing information. You are requested to state why action should not be taken under section 12 of the Passports Act 1967,” the notice issued by the passport office on October 18 said. Similarly, Section 12 of the same act states whoever “knowingly furnishes any false information or suppresses any material information with a view to obtaining a passport or travel document shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to Rs 5,000 or with both.” Responding to the allegations, Medha Patkar said that she had sent a reply to the Regional Passport Office saying that at the time of application, there was no case pending against her.