Observing that government employees are expected to be polite in their interaction with public visiting their offices, the Madras High Court bench in Madurai directed police to investigate a complaint accusing a staff of Passport office in Madurai of rude behaviour with two applicants.

Justice Raja Elango, disposing of a petition by one of the passport applicants, a lawyer, directed police to verify the complaint given by him and register a First Information Report if any cognisable offence was made out.

The petitioner, Imam Hussain, said he had gone to Madurai Passport Office along with his wife on Sept 15 when one of the officials refused to accept bank passbook as a residential proof.

Then he took up the matter with the Passport Officer. This angered the staff, who quarreled with the lawyer and snatched the application, Hussain alleged adding the employee also asked the other staff not to accept their applications, and also asked the security personnel to push them out.