Govt Revokes Passports Of 25 NRIs For Abandoning Wives

The Central government recently revoked passports of 25 NRI men because they abandoned their wives in India, a Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) official said. Of the 25 men, the ministry recommended the names of eight men and the rest are embroiled in cases registered with the state police.

"We keep receiving such complaints where Non-Resident Indians have been held accountable for abandoning their wives. The action taken depends on priority," the official said, NDTV reported.

On top of cancelling their passports, in some cases, the government has instructed the state police to issue Look-out-Circulars (LoC). In criminal matters involving NRIs, the investigating officer can issue LoC in cognisable offences when the husband from overseas is deliberately dodging arrest.

In many cases, husbands don’t appear in the trial court despite non-bailable warrants and other coercive measures. Other cases include men who leave the country to evade trial or arrest.

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An inter-ministerial body dealing with matrimonial disputes, headed by WCD Secretary Rakesh Srivastava with members from Home Ministry and the External affairs, takes the decision of issuing the LoC after the National Commission for Women (NCW) scrutinises the case.

"We keep receiving such complaints where Non-Resident Indians have been held accountable for abandoning their wives."

According to news laws of the central government, NRIs have to compulsorily register their marriages within a week and update their marital status on their passports. If they fail to update their marital status on passports, the document may get revoked by the authorities.

The inter-ministerial panel has also decided to allow the Ministry of External Affairs to put up summons issued to NRI men who have not responded to earlier summons on its website. It also acknowledged that necessary amendments will have to be made in the Passport Act to incorporate the changes.

The Punjab government is also taking concerted steps to ensure NRI men who married Indian women in Punjab and fled the country after marriage are found and held accountable. The NRI wing states that there are about 30,000 wives in the state with immigrant husbands.

Picture credit- mehandi-designs.blogspot

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