Yes, an economic offence accused in Mumbai can be denied a passport, or have an existing passport impounded, during the pendency of trial, and this is one of the most common conditions imposed by courts in serious economic offence cases specifically to address the heightened flight-risk concern that arises given the accused's potential access to resources and international connections that could facilitate leaving the country to evade prosecution. Under the Passports Act, a passport authority can impound or revoke a passport where criminal proceedings are pending before a court in India, and courts frequently direct such passport surrender as a specific condition of bail in economic offence cases.

If your passport has been impounded or you have been directed to surrender it as a bail condition in a Mumbai economic offence case, it is important to understand that this restriction, while inconvenient, is not necessarily permanent or absolute — you can apply to the trial court for temporary release of your passport for specific, legitimate purposes, such as urgent medical treatment abroad, a close family member's medical emergency, or in some cases, essential business travel, provided you can demonstrate the genuine necessity and offer adequate assurances of your return, such as additional sureties or a specific, binding return date.

Courts generally examine such applications by weighing the genuine hardship caused by passport restriction against the continued flight-risk concern, and applications supported by strong, specific justification and credible assurances of return tend to receive more favourable consideration than general requests for passport release without a clearly articulated purpose. It is also worth noting that if your case has progressed significantly, with substantial cooperation shown and no history of any attempt to evade proceedings, this track record can support a broader application for permanent release of your passport as the case nears resolution.

If you need to travel internationally while your passport remains restricted in a Mumbai economic offence case, preparing a well-documented and specific application addressing the court's likely concerns is essential, and Aapka Legal Advice can help you build a persuasive request tailored to your particular need.

Because passport restriction applications require careful balancing of genuine personal or business needs against the court's flight-risk concerns, experienced legal representation significantly improves your chances of a favourable outcome. The Top Criminal Lawyers in Mumbai | Aapka Legal Advice team, supported by retired judges on our panel who understand how such applications are typically evaluated, can help you pursue this relief effectively. If passport restrictions are affecting you during an ongoing economic offence trial in Mumbai, timely and well-prepared legal action can help address genuine travel needs.