New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the government to file a response to suspended Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi’s appeal challenging the revocation of his passport.

Modi is facing Enforcement Directorate probe into allegations of financial irregularities.

Issuing notice to the external affairs ministry, the regional passport office (RPO) in Mumbai and the chief passport officer, Justice Hima Kohli asked the government to file its reply on Modi’s plea.

The court would next hear the case April 25.

The regional passport office in Mumbai had revoked Modi’s passport March 3 last year following the ED probe.

Dismissing Modi’s appeal filed in April last year, Joint Secretary Muktesh K. Pardeshi said: “The Enforcement Directorate, being an arm of the government and the designated agency to go into the question of violation of the provision of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA), is competent to make recommendation to the passport issuing authority to revoke the passport of an individual on the basis of investigation conducted by that agency.”

“The Mumbai passport office order has not violated any principle of natural justice because appellant (Modi) was informed of the proposed action and was given sufficient and even additional time to explain his side,” observed Pardeshi in his Oct 31, 2010, reply.