Taking stringent action against those NRIs who have abandoned their wives in India, the government has revoked the passports of all eight people who were issued Look-out-Circulars (LoC), a Women and Child Development (WCD) official said on Thursday.
According to the official, eight people were issued LoC in past two months, of whom passports of five were revoked last month by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"The Ministry has received around 80 complaints and the decision to revoke the passports of these eight was taken considering the priority of the case," the official added.
The INA -- an inter-ministerial body dealing with matrimonial disputes headed by a WCD Secretary, Rakesh Srivastava with members from MHA and MEA -- takes the decision of issuing LoC after having the case scrutinised by National Commission for Women (NCW).
According to the Ministry, in criminal matters involving NRIs, the LoC can be issued by the investigating agency in cognisable offences when the overseas husband is deliberately evading arrest or not appearing in the trial court despite non-bailable warrants and other coercive measures, or there is a likelihood that he will leave the country to evade trial or arrest.
Meanwhile, the WCD Ministry has also proposed amendments which include impounding of passports and confiscation of the property of those who have been found guilty of deserting their wives and failed to appear in the court. The proposal will be sent for cabinet nod soon.
"We (WCD) have already cleared the amendments from our side and nothing is pending. The other ministries are yet to give a final nod. As soon as it is done, the draft will be sent for cabinet approval," the official stated.
--IANS
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