'National Security Endangered': Karnataka High Court Upholds FIR Against Travel Agent Accused Of Aiding Passport Renewal For Terror Suspect

Remarking that anyone who 'acts against the interest of the Nation must be brought to book', Karnataka High Court refused to quash criminal proceedings against a travel agent accused of facilitating the renewal of passports, including that of a person wanted by the Andhra Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad for alleged terror activities. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 224]

The allegations against the agent are over facilitating passport renewal for 15 persons, including a person wanted by the Andhra Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad.

The single judge bench of Justice M.Nagaprasanna emphasized that the 'law must therefore reach every link in the chain', while dismissing the plea by a travel agent accused of furnishing his own address in as many as fifteen passport applications fraudulently, coincidentally facilitating the passport renewal of Ibrahim Khaleel- a terror accused from Andhra Pradesh.

"Any individual—whether a private citizen, intermediary, or public servant—who, by act of commission or omission, acts against the interest of the Nation must be brought to book. National security is not imperiled only by those who directly engage in unlawful acts; it is equally endangered by those who facilitate, enable, or negligently permit such acts to occur. The law must therefore reach every link in the chain”, the court held.

Since the accused agent portrayed his own address as the genuine residential addresses of multiple applicants, the court opined that there is sufficient material to make the accused stand the test of trial, despite his ill health or physical disability as claimed by him.

“…The petitioner, therefore, must face trial and come out clean, if indeed he is innocent. His disability, health condition, or personal circumstances, though deserving of human sympathy, cannot become grounds to truncate prosecution where allegations touch upon acts potentially adverse to national interest. When the allegation concerns facilitation of documentation in favour of a person suspected of terrorist links, the issue ceases to be one of private criminality and assumes larger public significance."

Allegedly, the travel agency in Mangalore operated by the petitioner came under scrutiny after the police constable who approved all the contentious passport renewals came to know about the illegal facilitation provided by the agency. The complaint alleged that the agency even fraudulently obtained passport renewals for a terror accused known as the 'most wanted man' in Andhra.

However, the petitioner, seeking the quashment of proceedings before the High Court, argued that he merely processed the paperwork and facilitated police approvals legally.

Along with highlighting the same residential addresses for all the 15 recipients of the agency's services, the state and the passport office also pointed out that the complaint reveals how the agency has committed fraud for ensuring that police verification would be completed without suspicion.

Regarding the role of police constable himself, the court wondered how the same constable cleared all the 15 passport applications with the same address without identifying the discrepancies. The state submitted that sanction to prosecute the police constable had already been sought; it was pending consideration before the competent authority. The Court directed the State to move forward with the procedure expeditiously.

"…In the entire episode, the role of the police constable who cleared verification of all fifteen applications routed through the petitioner also assumes grave significance. The conduct of the said police constable cannot escape judicial scrutiny. If verification was granted without proper field inquiry or due diligence, such dereliction is not a mere administrative lapse; it may well amount to a serious breach of public duty with far-reaching consequences”, the single judge bench clarified.

After examining the FIR and chargesheet against the agent, the court noted as below:

“…The gravity of the accusation lies in the consequence of the petitioner's acts. By facilitating the clearance of applications founded on allegedly fabricated residential credentials, the petitioner is said to have enabled the renewal of a passport in favour of a person suspected of activities inimical to national security. Such allegations, if ultimately established in trial, transcend ordinary criminal misconduct and enter the realm of conduct prejudicial to the security and sovereignty of the Nation..”

Accordingly, the court dismissed the plea preferred by the travel agent, asking him to undergo the rigours of a trial to establish his innocence.

“…Whether the petitioner acted with knowledge, intent, or culpable negligence is a matter that can only be tested in the trial…”, the court opined.

Case Title: Sri U.M. Haidar, Travel Agent, Mangalore v. State Public Prosecutor & Regional Passport Officer, Mangalore

Case No.: Criminal Petition No. 12734 of 2023

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 224

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