The High Court of Karnataka, in a judgment dated October 16, 2025, has dismissed a writ petition challenging the denial of an RTI application, holding that passport details are “private to a person” and their disclosure to a third party could “cause a danger to the life or physical safety of the concerned person.”

The Justice Suraj Govindaraj upheld the orders of the Public Information Officer (PIO), the First Appellate Authority, and the State Information Commission, which had collectively refused to provide passport and Lookout Circular (LOC) details of an accused in a cheque bounce case.

The Court dismissed the petition (WP No. 17341 of 2025) filed by Prakash Chimanlal Sheth but granted him liberty to seek the documents through the concerned criminal court.

Background of the Case

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