Who are Rajiv, Indira Gandhi?

In a bid to seek passport details of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv, a Delhi-based RTI activist had filed a query with a regional passport office in the capital. However, he was shocked by the answer that he got from the officials.

Prime reason for denial? Being prime ministers of the country, the duo must have held diplomatic passport. Indira Gandhi was elected prime minister three times, while Rajiv Gandhi was elected once - after his mother Indira was assassinated in 1984. File pic

Davendra Kumar said the reply stated that the passport office doesn't have any details of the passport held by the two former VVIPs. "There is no record available in our office computer system of these particular names," read the reply.

"It is quite bizarre that the passport office does not have records of passports held by our former prime ministers," said Kumar, adding that from their response, it's clear that the information was deliberately withheld. "I am going to appeal against the reply to the next appellate authority," he said.

Kumar had sought information earlier this year in two different requests - the first RTI query was filed in February, while the second in March. Speaking about the response that Kumar got from the passport office, another RTI activist Neeraj Kumar said that the applicant should now approach the next first appellate authority.

"It is very strange that the regional passport office does not have records. It seems the information has concealed," he said. Meanwhile, Regional Passport Officer Anurag Bhushan remained unavailable despite several phone calls and e-mails.u00a0