AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat HC has ordered the authorities to return the passport of a man, who had been dubbed “anti-national” without evidence and his document seized.
This case involves Gulamhusen Pir from Gujarat’s Kutch. He obtained a passport in 2015, but in February 2017, the passport office asked him to surrender it, which he did. He moved the HC for directions to authorities to return his passport. He made an application, and passport authorities made him give an undertaking that he would provide information about criminal cases, if filed against him. Despite him giving the undertaking, his passport was not released.
In September 2020, the passport office wrote to Pir telling him that his passport was impounded on grounds that he was involved in anti-national activities. Pir moved the court again.
When the high court insisted on evidence, it was told that the passport office had inquired with Kutch district SP and the SP of special branch (CID), Jaipur for the details on Pir’s activities and that there were no details about his involvement in any anti-national activity.
