Passport renewal distinguished from foreign-travel permission, with bail travel restrictions requiring court modification first.

Renewal of a passport was distinguished from permission to leave India: the passport regime was read as requiring criminal court approval for foreign travel in pending proceedings, but not as creating a separate prior approval requirement for mere passport renewal. However, where a bail condition restrained travel abroad, renewal could effectively undermine that restraint, so the travel restriction had to be modified by the criminal court first. Direct renewal was therefore not granted until the petitioner obtained modification of the bail condition and then approached the passport authorities.

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Issues: Whether renewal of a passport requires prior permission from the criminal court when the accused is subject to a bail condition restraining travel abroad.

Analysis: A distinction was drawn between permission to depart from India and renewal of a passport. The relevant passport regime was read as requiring court permission when a person facing pending criminal proceedings seeks to leave India, but not as imposing a separate requirement of prior judicial approval merely for renewal of the passport. At the same time, where an existing bail condition prohibits travel abroad, renewal of the passport would practically enable overseas travel and could defeat the restraint unless that condition is first modified by the criminal court.

Conclusion: Prior permission of the criminal court is not required only for passport renewal, but the petitioner must first seek modification of the bail condition restraining foreign travel before pursuing renewal.

Final Conclusion: The request for direct renewal was not granted as the petitioner was directed to obtain modification of the travel restriction first and then approach the passport authorities.

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