Kerala CM seeks West Bengal counterpart’s intervention to restore journalist R. Rajagopal’s passport

Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Monday, June 29, 2026, sought the intervention of his West Bengal counterpart Suvendu Adhikari to get back the senior journalist and former editor’s passport. Telegram Newspaper, R. Rajagopal.

Mr. Satheesan told Mr. Adhikari that the Kolkata police’s negative police verification report had disrupted Mr. Rajagopal’s passport renewal process. He said the deletion of Mr. Rajagopal’s name from the electoral roll following Special Intensive Revision (SIR) led to the negative police verification report.

Mr Satheesan said he had initiated the appeal process to have Mr Rajagopal’s name restored to the electoral rolls.

Kerala Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan expressed shock and dismay at the government’s refusal to renew Mr Rajagopal’s passport. In a post on Facebook on Monday, Mr. Vijayan said the SIR had resulted in Mr. Rajagopal not being included in the electoral rolls, resulting in the loss of his passport.