Delhi Court Allows Natasha Narwal To Obtain 10-Year Passport, But Says She Can't Travel Abroad Without Fresh Permission
Nupur Thapliyal
16 Sept 2026 11:29 PM IST
A Delhi Court has permitted Natasha Narwal, an accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, to depart from India as a formality for the limited purpose of obtaining a passport for 10 years.
Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts made it clear that Narwal cannot travel abroad after obtaining the passport, without obtaining a fresh permission from the court.
The judge also said that she must deposit her passport to the Court immediately the next day she receives it.
“Considering the submissions and the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, this Court is giving permission to the applicant to depart from India only for the sake of formality of issuance of a Passport to her by the Passport Authority,” the Court said.
It ordered: “The applicant is directed to deposit the Passport to the Court immediately on the next day, when she receives the same. It is again clarified that the applicant shall not leave the country in any manner and shall move a fresh application for travelling abroad after getting the Passport and depositing the same in the Court.”
The judge passed the order on an application moved by Narwal seeking permission to depart from India for issuance of the passport.
For context, an official memorandum issued by Ministry of External Affairs on December 06, 2024, states that for any person who has pending criminal proceedings in India, there is no provision for seeking permission or NOC from court concerned for issuance of passport, instead “it is permission to depart from India.”
Any such accused now has to apply to the trial court and get a formal permission to depart from India, before the passport authorities consider their request for issuance of a valid Indian passport.
Narwal is an accused in FIR No. 59 of 2020, registered at Crime Branch and investigated by Delhi Police's Special Cell, concerning the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
She faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), besides several provisions of the Indian Penal Code and other laws.
Her counsel submitted that she was seeking only a general permission to leave India for the limited purpose of completing the formalities for issuance of the passport by the Passport Authority.
It was submitted that once the passport was issued, Narwal would immediately deposit it before the court and thereafter move a fresh application seeking permission to travel to the United Kingdom for pursuing her Ph.D.
The Delhi Police opposed the plea, submitting that Narwal should first approach the Passport Authority and, in case of any objection, seek appropriate directions from the court.
The Special Public Prosecutor also submitted that she should be directed to deposit the passport immediately if it was issued and obtain fresh permission before travelling abroad.
The court, after considering the submissions and the Supreme Court judgment referred to by the defence, granted permission to Narwal to depart from India only for the “formality of issuance of the passport.”
The application was accordingly disposed of.
