India, Nov. 11 -- A Cyprus-based marine engineer, originally a resident of Nerul in Navi Mumbai, has approached the Bombay High Court, saying the renewal of his passport is held up due to two seven-year-old criminal cases against him. If the passport is not renewed before his Alien Registration Card (ARC) or work visa in Cyprus expires on November 23, he risks the ignominy of being deported, the petitioner, 59-year-old Brahma Mall, has said in his plea.

Mall's petition seeks a direction to the magistrate court in Andheri, where his application seeking permission for passport renewal is pending, to decide his plea urgently. If he is deported on account of an immigration lapse, he would "face immense hardship" in vacating his rented accomm...