UP couple’s passports cleared, probe says official exceeded brief

NEW DELHI: THE ISSUE HAD RAISED A STORM LAST MONTH LEADING TO EVEN TROLLS AGAINST SUSHMA SWARAJ

An internal probe by the external affairs ministry has concluded that the passport issued to an interfaith couple by the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Lucknow is valid and that an official and the police exceeded brief on the matter.

The issue had raised a storm last month leading to even trolls against external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.

“The passports of Tanvi Seth and Anas Siddiqui have been cleared," Regional Passport Officer (RPO) Piyush Verma said on Wednesday. Persons familiar with the probe said an RPO official and police went beyond brief during verification, seeking details that were ‘irrelevant’.

The couple had alleged harassment by a passport official, saying they were targeted because of their interfaith marriage. The UP police in its verification report mentioned that Tanvi was not staying at the address in Lucknow which was provided at the time of applying for the passport.

However, the probe found out the police verification shouldn’t have gone beyond two points of inquiry — criminal record against the applicant and the nationality — as per the new rules.

The ministry had in June reduced the number of questions applicants are required to answer from nine to six, restricting the focus on criminal antecedents and nationality of the applicant.