Mumbai, Feb 12: The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed passport authorities to consider actor-producer Sachin Joshi’s application to change his name to Yogesh Jagdish Joshi in his passport. The court observed that a pending criminal case in which cognisance has not yet been taken cannot be a ground to refuse such a request.
A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri ordered the police to carry out a fresh verification at Joshi’s residence on February 18 and submit a report within 15 days. The passport authorities were then directed to process the name-change application in accordance with law.
Bench questions multiple name changes
During the hearing, the bench questioned the repeated changes to Joshi’s name, noting that he had altered it three times. In a lighter vein, Justice Ghuge remarked, “We hope there won’t be any more cases with the new name,” while asking whether the petitioner believed in numerology or astrology.
Joshi had approached the High Court through advocate Sujay Kantawala after police submitted a report stating that a criminal case involving cheating and conspiracy was pending against him and that he was allegedly not cooperating with the verification process. Kantawala informed the court that the petitioner had officially changed his name in the Maharashtra Gazette.
Pending case not ground for refusal
While directing a reverification, the court noted that the trial court is yet to take cognisance of the case against Joshi. “A pending case without cognisance being taken cannot be a ground for refusal for renewal or issuance of passport,” the bench said.
The judges also traced the sequence of Joshi’s name changes, observing that he was originally Sachin Jagdishprasad Joshi, later changed it to Sachiin Jagdishprasad Joshi, and now sought to adopt Yogesh J Joshi. The bench refused to permit shortening his father’s name.
“At least be thankful for your father. He brought you to this world. You can keep the name as Yogesh Jagdish Joshi,” the court said.
No further changes, court cautions
The bench further cautioned against additional changes, remarking, “Now no further name changes. The petitioner’s insatiable desire has come to an end now and henceforth he would maintain his name as Yogesh Jagdish Joshi.”
Addressing the allegations, Kantawala submitted that only one criminal case remains pending and that other proceedings, including those under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), have been disposed of.
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Joshi had earlier been accused in a money laundering case linked to city-based Omkar Realtors and Developers. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2021 and granted bail by a special court in 2022.
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