1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 2317 OF 2009 Iqbal Hasan Ibrahim Kaskar and others .. Petitioners Vs. The Union of India and others .. Respondents Mr. Jagdish Shetty for the petitioners Smt. Usha Kejrowal, AGP for respondent-1 ORAM:-SMT. RANJANA DESAI & MRS. MRIKDULA BHATKAR, JJ. DATED : 5th January, 2010 P.C. Prayer made by the petitioners is that the remark made on the passports of petitioners 2 to 7 to the effect “This passport is valid for travelling between UAE and India only” be deleted. Ms. Kantharia appearing for the Union of India states that the Ministry of External Affairs would give hearing to the petitioners on 18/01/2010 at 4 pm. She has tendered in this court letter dated 5.1.2010 addressed by the Assistant Passport Officer to the Counsel for the Union of India. Copy of the same is taken on record and marked “X”. Assistant Passport Officer- Mr. B. S. Rokade is present in the Court. Copy of 2 the letter is also handed over to learned counsel for the petitioners. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners states that the petitioners will appear before the concerned officer on 18/01/2010 at 4 p.m. for hearing. In the circumstances, we direct the concerned officer of External Affairs Ministry to hear the petitioners and pass appropriate reasoned order. We direct him to serve copy thereof on the petitioners. Needless to say that if the order passed by the External Affairs Ministry is against the petitioners, they can adopt appropriate remedy to challenge it. We make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case. The petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. (MRIDULA BHATKAR, J.) ( RANJANA DESAI, J.) jpc/