The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that police verification reports submitted for passport applications disclose the current status of criminal proceedings, including whether a charge-sheet has been filed before a court and whether cognizance has been taken.

A bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prashad observed that police officers cannot act mechanically by merely mentioning a case crime number in which a passport applicant is implicated or providing details of a charge-sheet filed against a person.

The Court directed the UP DGP to incorporate the requisite details in the police verification form and submit a compliance affidavit through the Registrar General. The matter has been listed on November 4 for this limited purpose.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Suresh Yadav, who sought re-issuance of his passport. He claimed that the application had remained pending since May 12, 2026, because of a police verification report related to a criminal case registered against him.

The State counsel informed the Court that, after investigating the said case, the police had filed a closure report insofar as the petitioner was concerned. However, it was further apprised that a charge-sheet had been filed against a co-accused, Ram Dhyan.

The State's instructions also confirmed that the petitioner had no criminal history.

In these circumstances, the Court said that the Regional Passport Officer must decide the pending application after verifying the petitioner's academic records, date of birth, names, and other particulars.

It directed the authority to dispose of the application within six weeks from the date of production of a certified copy of the order.

In its order, the Court also stressed the need for accurate police verification reports. It observed thus:

"In every police verification report, the police officer concerned cannot act mechanically by giving the case crime number in which a person is implicated or giving the details of the charge sheet submitted in Court against a person".

The bench said the report must clarify whether a charge-sheet has been filed in court against the passport applicant and, if so, whether the court has taken cognizance of it. It must also disclose the current status of the charge-sheet and clarify if it has not been submitted to the court.

Further, the Court said that the report must specify whether the Magistrate has passed any order on a closure report. If the trial has commenced, its status must also be disclosed, the Court added.

The Court stated that the police verification form, after due verification, sent to the Passport Office or the Ministry of External Affairs must contain all these details.

Therefore, the Court directed the UP DGP to ensure compliance of its order and file an affidavit through the Registrar General.

Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Shruti Shrinet, Utpal Srivastav

Counsel for Respondent(s) : A.S.G.I., C.S.C., Rajesh Kumar Singh