State Authorities Must Take Necessary Steps To Bring Rajiv Gandhi Assasination Case Convict Murugan To Sri Lankan High Commission: Madras HC

The Madras High Court has directed the District Collector at Trichy to take necessary steps to bring Srikaran @ Murugan, a Sri Lankan national and an ex-convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, to the High Commission office at Chennai.

The Court was dealing with a case in which the prayer sought for in the writ petition was for a mandamus directing to permit Murugan to appear before the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai on any working day and as and when required with escort to get all country passport.

A Division Bench comprising Justice R. Suresh Kumar and Justice K. Kumaresh Babu ordered, “… the learned counsel for the petitioner would contend that the Srilankan High Commission would not give appointment to any such persons like the petitioner's husband for transacting business to get passport or travel document at the High Commission and such persons can visit the High Commission between 11.00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m., on any working day. Therefore based on the said pattern being followed by the High Commission, the State Authorities especially the District Collector at Trichy has to take necessary steps to bring the husband of the petitioner to the High Commission office at Chennai with full escort enabling him to appear before the High Commission Office between 11.00 a.m., and 1.30 p.m., on any working day.”

Advocate S. Doraisamy appeared on behalf of the petitioner while Central Government Standing Counsel G. Babu and Additional Public Prosecutor R. Muniyapparaj appeared on behalf of the respondents.

The High Court in view of the prayers made by Murugan said, “In this context, the apprehension of the State authorities is that based on this understanding, as no communication whatsoever has been directly received by the District Collector, Trichy, if escort is provided and the husband of the petitioner is brought before the Srilankan High Commission on a particular day, if the High Commission, for want of time or any reason, could not complete the transaction of business with regard to the travel document or passport sought for by the individual and for such reason if any other date is given, once again the husband of the petitioner has to be taken back to Trichy Camp and again to be brought to Chennai.”

The Court observed that in order to avoid the unnecessary issues and complications, the State authorities especially the District Collector, Trichy can make efforts to fix up an appointment for bringing or producing Murugan at the Srilankan High Commission office on any particular date and time and on that date and time, he can be brought before the Srilankan High Commission at Chennai with escort to be provided by the State Authorities under the supervision of the District Collector, Trichy.

“… we feel that the District Collector, Trichy who is the third respondent herein can take steps to contact the Srilankan High Commission at Chennai to fix up an appointment for the aforesaid transaction of business and if he is able to get appointment, on that date there could be no impediment to bring the husband of the petitioner from the Detention Camp at Trichy to the Srilankan High Commission at Chennai”, it directed.

Accordingly, the High Court posted the matter on March 12.

Case Number: W.P.No.6098 of 2024

Click here to read/download the Order