Even the Court cannot impound a passport.
In our opinion, even the Court cannot impound a passport. Though, no doubt, Section 104 Cr.P.C. states that the Court may, if it thinks fit, impound any document or thing produced before it, in our opinion, this provision will only enable the Court to impound any document or thing other than a passport. This is because impounding a passport is provided for in Section 10(3) of the Passports Act. The Passports Act is a special law while the Cr.P.C. is a general law. It is well settled that the special law prevails over the general law vide G.P. Singh's Principles of Statutory Interpretation (9th Edition pg. 133). This prinhttps://www.lawweb.in/2012/12/even-court-cannot-impound-passport.htmlciple is expressed in the maxim Generalia specialibus non derogant . Hence,impounding of a passport cannot be done by the Court under Section 104 Cr.P.C. though it can impound any other document or thing.
Supreme Court of India
Suresh Nanda vs C.B.I on 24 January, 2008
