HC orders status quo over notice to KTR over move to impound passport

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday (October 27) passed an order to maintain status quo over the Regional Passport Office authorities issuing notice to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and former minister K.T. Rama Rao to impound his passport in a case connected to Formula E Race being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. 

Justice E.V. Venugopal, after hearing arguments in a writ petition filed by KTR seeking a direction to stay the proceedings initiated by the Passport authorities of Union government over impounding his passport, issued notices to the Ministry of External Affairs, Regional Passport Officer of Hyderabad and Director General of ACB. The matter was adjourned to November 6 for next hearing. 

Senior counsel Gandra Mohan Rao, appearing for KTR, said the notice to impound passport issued by the passport authorities was part of a pre-mediated plan. He informed the bench that the ACB had already filed charge-sheet in the Formula E Race case being investigated by it. The judge sought to know from the ACB standing counsel as to why the ACB chose to inform the Passport officials about the criminal case pending against KTR when already charge-sheet was filed in the case. 

The judge also asked the ACB standing counsel if the ACB officials filed a memo in the trial court seeking a direction to impound the passport of KTR. The standing counsel informed the bench that he would secure instructions in the matter but maintained that details of the case pending against KTR were passed on to the Passport authorities as per the previsions of the law. 

Additional Solicitor General of India for Telangana B. Narasimha Sharma informed the bench that only show-cause notice was issued to KTR as to why his passport should not be impounded in the backdrop of the case being investigated by the ACB. He informed the bench that KTR was at liberty to appear before the authorities and explain his stand. No orders to impound the passport were issued, he clarified. 

The issuing of notice over impounding passport can be challenged under the provisions of the Passport Act, he told the bench. The judge directed the counsels to file written submissions, if any, further in the matter before posting the hearing to November 6. 

Published - October 27, 2026 09:17 pm IST