A petitioner sought passport renewal despite six criminal cases, most pending investigation for over ten years without charge sheets. Relying on precedent that FIR pendency is not a legal impediment to passport issuance, the Court directed the Passport Officer to consider his request within four weeks and disposed of the writ petition.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
WP(MD).No.31493 of 2025
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 08.12.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE R.VIJAYAKUMAR
WP(MD) No. 31493 of 2025
K.Muruganantham
.....Petitioner
Vs
1.The Regional Passport Officer Regional Passport Office New Municipal Complex Thillai Nagar, 7th Cross Trichirappalli
2.The Inspector of Police Melur Police Station Madurai District
3.The Inspector of Police Avaniyapuram Police Station Madurai District
4.The Inspector of Police Thondi Police Station Ramanathapuram District
5.The Inspector of Police Kalayaarkovil Police Station Sivagangai District
6.The Inspector of Police Town Police Station Sivagangai District ....Respondents
Prayer: This Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondent No.1 to issue renewed
1/5
WP(MD).No.31493 of 2025
passport to the petitioner by considering his application in (TR2076847084724) dated 14.08.2024 and his explanation dated 25.10.2025 within the time stipulated by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.T.Thirumurugan
For Respondents : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar for R1 Central Government Standing Counsel for R1
:Mr.S.Prakash
Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for R2 to R6
ORDER
The present writ petition has been filed seeking a mandamus as against
the first respondent to renew the passport of the writ petitioner based upon his application dated 14.08.2024 and his explanation dated 25.10.2025.
2.The learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) appearing for the respondents 2 to 6 had brought to the notice of the Court that the following
cases are pending as against the petitioner.
| S.No. | Police Station | FIR No. | Offenses | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Melur P.S., Madurai | Crime No. 443 of 2014 |
147, 148, 294(b), 353, and 427 of C.P.C. |
Under investigation |
| 2. | Avaniyapuram P.S., Madurai | Crime No.62 of 2017 |
143, 188 and 341 of IPC |
Disposed -Closed |
| 3. | Thondi P.S, Ramnad | Crime No.38 of 2014 |
151 of Cr.P.C. | Referred |
| 4. | Kalayaarkovil P.S, Sivagangai | Crime No. 185 of 2019 |
505(1)(b) of IPC | Under investigation |
| 5. | Town P.S, Sivagangai | Crime No.21 of 2016 |
151 of Cr.P.C. | Referred |
| 6. | Town P.S, Sivagangai | Crime No. 914 of 2015 |
188, 309 of IPC | Under investigation |
2/5
WP(MD).No.31493 of 2025
3.The petitioner, out of the six cases referred above, two of the cases in
Crime Nos.21 of 2016 and 38 of 2014 on the file of the Town Police Station, Sivagangai and Thondi Police Station, Ramnad respectively have been referred as 'mistake of fact'. The criminal case pending on the file of Avaniyapuram Police Station in Crime No.62 of 2017 has been closed. As far as the three cases in Crime Nos.443 of 2014 on the file of Melur Police Station, Madurai, Crime No.185 of 2019 on the file of Kalayaarkovil Police Station, Sivagangai and Crime No.914 of 2015 on the file of the Town Police Station, Sivagangai are concerned, they are under investigation for more than 10 years. So far charge sheet has not been filed.
08.12.2025
3/5
WP(MD).No.31493 of 2025
Internet : Yes/No Index : Yes/No NCC : Yes/No msa To 1.The Regional Passport Officer Regional Passport Office New Municipal Complex Thillai Nagar, 7th Cross Trichirappalli
2.The Inspector of Police Melur Police Station Madurai District
3.The Inspector of Police Avaniyapuram Police Station Madurai District
4.The Inspector of Police Thondi Police Station Ramanathapuram District
5.The Inspector of Police Kalayaarkovil Police Station Sivagangai District
6.The Inspector of Police Town Police Station Sivagangai District
4/5
WP(MD).No.31493 of 2025
R.VIJAYAKUMAR, J.
msa
WP(MD) No. 31493 of 2025
08.12.2025
5/5
1 issue framed by the court
Whether the Regional Passport Officer can be directed to consider renewal of an applicant's passport despite pending FIRs against him.
Colour shows how this judgement treated each authority
W.Jaihar William v. State of Tamil NaduRelied on¶4
(2014) 8 MLJ 61
1 provisions across 1 enactments
K.Muruganantham
The Regional Passport Officer, Regional Passport Office, Trichirappalli
The Inspector of Police, Melur Police Station
The Inspector of Police, Avaniyapuram Police Station
The Inspector of Police, Thondi Police Station
The Inspector of Police, Kalayaarkovil Police Station
R.Vijayakumar
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
