New Twist In Tanvi Seth Passport Row: Witness Backs The Stand Of Passport Officer Vikas Mishra

A day after an official at the Lucknow Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) allegedly harassed an inter-faith couple, he was transferred to Gorakhpur Thursday following directives from the Centre. Vikas Mishra, the transferred official, has also been showcaused.

Tanvi Seth and Mohammad Anas Siddiqui on Wednesday claimed Mishra misbehaved with them — asking her to change her name and him to convert to Hinduism.

लखनऊ में जिस पासपोर्ट अधिकारी पर एक जोड़े के धर्म को लेकर टिप्पणी का आरोप है उससे बात की आजतक संवाददाता @ShivendraAajTak ने. #ATVideo
अन्य वीडियो: https://t.co/0lHmKyYioS pic.twitter.com/YNCQnbWvme

— आज तक (@aajtak) June 21, 2018

“I did not misbehave and neither did I ask them to change name or religion,” said Mishra on Thursday. “When the woman came to me at counter C-5, I found that she had identified herself as Tanvi Seth in her application, but her nikahnaama identified her as Shadia Anas.” While applying for passport, applicants are asked whether they had ever changed their name. “She had selected the option ‘no’ in it,” said Mishra.

For those peddling only one side of the story, please listen to Vikas Mishra too. He also has something to say. Watch him talking to my colleague Ashok Tiwari for @news24tvchannel pic.twitter.com/02Be1ykXnj

— Manak Gupta (@manakgupta) June 21, 2018

According to MEA rules, married applicants would not be required to provide any marriage certificate. “But I could not overlook two different names when there were documents before me,” said Mishra. “I asked her to mention the change in her application, but she refused.

Then I asked her to talk to my senior… I would be held responsible if I grant a wrong passport. What if she already has a passport in the name of Shadia Anas, or if she applies for one in the future? I even asked her husband to accompany her to my senior’s office to get it sorted.”

Asked Tanvi Seth to get the name'Shadia Anas'endorsed as it was mentioned on her Nikahnama,but she refused.We have to do thorough checks to ensure no person is changing their name to obtain a passport:Vikas Mishra,officer who allegedly harassed Tanvi Seth at Lucknow passport Off. pic.twitter.com/biQkBcghrJ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 21, 2018

Meanwhile, a man named Kuldeep Singh from Lucknow backed the official’s claim. According to Kuldeep, he witnessed the incident around 1PM, which, according to several PSK employees, is around the time the alleged argument was heard.

This bizarre passport story, unless proved otherwise, seems untrue. In all fairness there should be a transparent inquiry. If the woman who claimed harassment is found to have fibbed, her passport should be cancelled and she should be prosecuted and punished as per law.

— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) June 21, 2018

“I recognised them from news reports. I was at counter C-2,” said Kuldeep.

“They were talking about her name. The official said there was nothing he could do and that she should talk to the APO. He consulted his colleague who suggested that he not grant the passport from his end. The officer did not misbehave but the woman was loud and tried to get her way.”

Eyewitness who was present when this Tanvi Seth aka Sadia Hasan incident happened debunked her story
Shame on @SushmaSwaraj @rpolucknow for transferring Vikash Mishra who was doing his job honestly pic.twitter.com/vgmgCCNlYp

— Rishi Bagree 🇮🇳 (@rishibagree) June 21, 2018

Kuldeep claimed Anas, who was at another counter, was directed to Mishra who asked them to meet the APO.

Asked for proof of his presence, Kuldeep showed an SMS purportedly confirming his appointment at 10.30 AM, and another he received after completing the process. Mohammad Anas Siddiqui refused to speak on the issue. The couple received their new passports on Thursday.

Sadia Anas @tanvianas was working in Dell & US had denied H1 visa to her due to old #passport name Sadia Anas Siddiqui so she created drama to get new passport with Hindu name.

— Prashant Patel Umrao (@ippatel) June 22, 2018

This bizarre passport story, unless proved otherwise, seems untrue. In all fairness there should be a transparent inquiry. If the woman who claimed harassment is found to have fibbed, her passport should be cancelled and she should be prosecuted and punished as per law.

— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) June 21, 2018