Madras HC directs Union and State to send mortal remains of Santhan

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) directed the Union and State governments to take the required steps to send the mortal remains of Santhan, a released convict in late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, immediately to Sri Lanka.

A division bench comprising Justice R Suresh Kumar and Justice K Kumaresh Babu heard the petition preferred by Santhan, now deceased, seeking to deport him to Sri Lanka. The Union and State government submitted that unfortunately, the petitioner had died yesterday (February 28) due to severe cardiac illness, at Rajiv Gandhi government hospital, Chennai.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan appeared for the Union government and submitted that the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Chennai, has sent a letter on February 22, to the State government requesting to safely handover the petitioner at the airport authority to deport him to Sri Lanka.

However, it was not complied with hence he was not deported to Sri Lanka.

Countering this, the State Public Prosecutor (PP) Hasan Mohammed Jinnah submitted that unfortunately he was admitted in the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for his medical complication. He needed 6 liters of oxygen and was kept in ventilation, PP said.

However, the State has taken steps to deport Santhan to Sri Lanka through air ambulance with the facility of oxygen and anesthesia specialist for ventilation, in the meantime he died on February 28, PP added. Further, PP also submitted the medical report of Santhan and said that the State is taking steps to send Santhan's mortal remains to Sri Lanka, as a part of it, the postmortem and embalming process are completed.

The bench intervened and questioned when his mortal remains would be sent to Sri Lanka and wondered about the complications in the process.

The ASG submitted that the Sri Lankan High Commission, Chennai has to give a consent letter to deport the mortal remains and we are awaiting for it. If the letter was received today the mortal remains will be sent immediately to Sri Lanka.

After the submission, the bench directed the Union and State governments to take necessary steps to send Santhan's mortal remains to Sri Lanka, as early as possible. Further, the bench also directed the State to lend its hand to smoothen the process and posted the matter to March 4 to file the action taken report.

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 to Sri Lanka to take care of his mother.