Punjab’s runaway NRI grooms lose passports

NEW DELHI: Stepping up action against absconding NRI husbands, Chandigarh Regional Passport Office has shown the way with nearly 300 passports impounded and another 40-odd revoked since January 2018.
Alongside, the ministry of external affairs has moved for suspension, impounding and revocation of over 60 passports since last year, according to data received by National Commission for Women. Nearly 50 men have returned in cases where RPO Chandigarh moved for impounding and revocation of passports.
However, there are new concerns coming to the fore with women approaching NCW with complaints of husband’s passport being reinstated. One of the grounds, cited by women, is husband reaching a settlement with wife and showing the deed to get the permission to leave the country before the final settlement and divorce.
In one case, after a man’s passport was revoked, he returned and reached a settlement with his wife. After he deposited the money with the court hearing the case and agreed for divorce, he managed to get a new passport and left the country. He is yet to return to complete the divorce formalities.
These cases yet again bring into focus the need for a stringent law to deter such crimes and to build pressure on absconding men to return.
The Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha in February. It has not yet been listed for a discussion in the current session. The proposed bill empowers passport authorities to impound or revoke passport or travel documents of NRIs who fail to register their marriage within 30 days. The bill also allows courts to attach properties, movable and immovable, of proclaimed offenders or people who fail to appear before courts despite warrants being issued against them.