Friday, May 15, 2009

Passport & Police

I hold passport since 1998, though I didn't use it for long-time, In 2004, I had to change my photo & signature and other details in my passport, as I was planning to visit China. I changed all the details and travelled. After few years I wanted to visit US, but for US Visa the passport should have minimum 6months of expiry time, from date of applying US Visa, but my passport had only 3 months, I went to passport office and renewed for Takkal Passport(Quick System) so that we would getting Passport in 7 working days and I had Rs 3000/- more for the same. I applied for renewing my passport under takkal scheme, and I recieved the passport, I was extermely happy and I got US visa for 10 years under B1. I went US for 1 month, I travelled to Hawaii, New York, Washington DC, Boston, Virginia,...while I was in US, there was police verification done by chennai police Dept at my home, for confirming the details as submitted in the passport office, since I wasn't there to answer them, Police Dept gave negative feedback to Passport. After 2 months I came back to chennai and found a letter from Passport office, saying I have taken passport by giving wrong details/supressed information, im liable to get arrested and I should surrender my passport immdly, i was shocked to see such letter. I took the letter to passport office fearing the trouble, and i found many people had same problem. I submitted all details proving and said that I haven't given any wrong information and moreover, I haven't applied for new passport to give details & supress them, Infact I have only renewed my old passport, which is there valid since 2004. They said, again the police verification will happen and i will recieve the passport. I submitted the details on
26th March 2009, and till now, neither police dept or passport office isn't able to confirm the status of the passport and where the application is lying!! I went to Central Crime Branc- Egmore to check whether they have recieved the application from passport office, the CCB IS Officer, just glanced the file and said....we havent recieved, and I requested him, whether I can check myself, as he didn't see properly, the office become furious and said, "how dare you ask me the record". I said, its my bad fate...so i dare to ask you and left the place to recheck with Passport dept, why they haven't send it yet, they again confirmed they have dispatched. Now I went to local police station and checked and I found CCB IS dept had send them passport & to wrong police station, they should have send to suburban police station...by this time I was fedup & decided to leave the matter as i have no purpose of passport immdly, let the passport come to me, when things change in India....meanwhile, RPO (Regional Passport Office) Cheif of Passport Office was arrested due to corruption charges by CBI, and now travel agents aren't
ready to handle any special case! Only God knows, when things would change in India!!

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