Madras HC seeks Union government's action-taken-report on Santhan's plea

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) directed the Union government to submit the action taken report to the temporary travel document issued by the Sri Lankan government to Santhan, a convict of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

Santhan approached MHC to deport him to Sri Lanka to care of his mother.

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

The State government submitted that the Sri Lanka high commission has sent temporary travel documents to the External Affairs department of Union government, permitting Santhan to enter into Sri Lanka.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan, appeared for the Union government submitted that still they haven't received the travel documents.

The travel documents will be processed in a week after it has received, then the petitioner can travel to Sri Lanka, said the ASG. The sought time to process the travel documents, he added.

After the submission the bench directed the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Chennai, to file an action taken report and posted the matter to February 29, for further submission.

In his petition Santhan, stated that after his release from the assassination case, he was sent to Trichy camp. There he was restricted from going out of the camp.

He also contended that his mother Maheswari is residing in Sri Lanka and having severe health complications. Hence, he wanted to travel Sri Lanka to take care of his mother and sought to direct the Union and State governments to deport him to Sri Lanka.