Central Information Commission
CIC/OK/A/2008/1214/AD
Dated January 9, 2009
Name of the Appellant : Mr.Ajay Datta
Name of the Public Authority : Regional Passport Office,
Kolkatta
Background
1. The Appellant filed an RTI request dt.1.7.08 to the CPIO, Regional
Passport Office, Kolkatta. The Appellant wanted information against 6
points with regard to the passport application submitted by Shri Paltu
Prasad Sarkar alias Bharat Sarkar on 7.3.03. The CPIO replied on
17.7.08 denying the information under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
Not satisfied with the reply, the Appellant filed an appeal dt.28.7.08
with the Appellate Authority reiterating his request for the information.
In his appeal, he stated that Mr. Palty Prasad Sarkar have no
documentary proof of residence before 1994 and after knowing the
fact he had informed the local Police Station in the year 1999. The
Appellate Authority replied on 12.8.08 upholding the decision of the
CPIO. Aggrieved at the decision of the Appellate Authority, the
Appellant filed his second appeal dt.26.8.08 before the CIC.
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner,
scheduled the hearing on January 9, 2009.
3. Mr. R. Chattopadhyay, APO, Kolkata represented the Public Authority.
4. The Appellant was not present at the hearing.
Decision
5. The Respondent submitted that initially the Supt. Of Police South
Paraganas verified the details of Mr. Paltu Prasad Sarkar, the person
about whom information is being sought by the Appellant, and gave a
clean chit to him, and based on this police report a passport was
issued to Mr. Sarkar. However, later, a complaint was filed by an
individual with the CBI Kolkatta against Mr. Paltu Prasad Sarkar, and
the CBI forwarded the complaint to the Regional Passport Office,
Kolkatta, who in turn, passed it again to the Supdt. of Police, South
24 Parganas requesting him to look into the matter. An inquiry report
was then sent by the Supdt. of Police to the Passport Office stating
that the alleged subject might have been victimized by a ghost
petitioner and that the genuineness of his birth place is doubtful since
his mother is still surviving in Bangladesh.
6. The Commission directs the PIO to provide information against points
A & D within 15 days of receipt of this Order. With regard to other
points, the Commission holds that the information cannot be provided
since it is not available with the Passport Office.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(K.G.Nair)
Designated Officer
Cc:
1. Mr.Ajay Datta
C/o I.O.C.L
2, Gariahat Road(South)
Dhakuria, 9th Floor
Kolkata 700 068
2. The CPIO
Regional Passport Officer
Ministry of External Affairs
4, Brabourn Road
Kolkatta 700 001
3. The Appellate Authority
Ministry of External Affiars
O/o JS (CPV)
Patiala House Annex
New Delhi 110 001
4. Officer in charge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC