High Commission grants passports, released Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts to be deported to Sri Lanka soon

CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan High Commission has granted passports to the released convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Murugan, Jayakumar, and Robert Pius, the State government submitted in the Madras High Court on Tuesday.

Sriharan alias Murugan approached the HC seeking to direct the State to issue a photo identity card to apply for a visa to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) where his daughter is settled.

The case was listed before a division bench comprising Justice R Suresh Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu.

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) R Muniyappa Raj submitted that the Sri Lankan High Commission has granted passports to the released convicts. The State government has already written to the Union government to grant permission to deport them to Sri Lanka, and they would be deported after getting permission from the Union government, he added.

After the submission the bench observed since the petitioner was granted a passport, he would not need an identity card to travel to UK and disposed of the petition.

Murugan was confined in the Trichy special camp (foreigners detention centre) after his release from jail, as he is a Sri Lankan national. Hence, he could not apply for an identity card to secure a visa, and a representation was made to the State in this regard, he said.

The Director of Rehabilitation did not respond to his representation seeking a photo identity card, Murugan said. It was also submitted that Murugan’s daughter Harithra is a UK citizen and she made all the arrangements for Murugan to live with her in the UK. Hence, Murugan sought the HC to issue an identity card to travel to the UK to live with her daughter.