Court seizes Tytler’s passport, directs CBI to take action

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) A court here on Tuesday seized Congress leader Jagdish Tytler's passport and directed the CBI for appropriate action after it was revealed that he gave false information during its renewal that no criminal case is pending against him.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar gave Tytler's passport to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), asking the agency for suitable action as he gave wrong information to the passport office that "no criminal case is pending against me".

However, Tytler's counsel told the court that it is a bona fide mistake. He said the wrong information was furnished by the Congress leader's clerk who ticked the wrong box on the form "by mistake".

CBI officials told the court that action should be initiated because rules have been violated as the passport was renewed without clearance from the court.

The court expressed its opinion that a First Information Report (FIR) should be registered against Tytler for furnishing false information and getting the passport renewed without getting clearance, but did not pass any order.

The court was hearing Tytler's plea on permission to travel abroad from May 25 to June 2.

Tytler had withdrawn his application in the morning, seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the passport renewal. Later, the court was apprised that Tytler had already received the renewed passport without procuring the NOC.

The court asked Tytler's counsel why was the application seeking permission withdrawn this morning. It also said that Tytler should have admitted at the passport office that he had not provided the correct information earlier and will apply afresh for clearance.

Judge Parashar, however, left it the probe agency to decide on Tytler's conduct, saying it has no jurisdiction to pass any order on this issue.

The matter came up for hearing before the court of Bharat Parashar as the judge hearing the case was on leave.

The court listed the matter for June 11 before the court concerned.

The court was hearing a case filed on a complaint of the then Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by businessman Abhishek Verma, seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009.

Tytler and Verma were charge-sheeted under the Indian Penal Code for alleged attempting to cheat and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI has alleged that Tytler had "actively connived" with Verma to cheat a Chinese telecom firm and that the Congress leader had shown a "fake and forged" letter to the company's officials, claiming it was written by Maken to the Prime Minister.