SL High Commission Grants Passports to Murugan, 2 Other Rajiv Assassination Convicts: St Tells HC

Murugan had moved court seeking to direct the state to issue a photo identity card so that he could apply for visa to travel to his daughter's house in UK. Now, with the Sri Lankan High Commission granting him passport, the court mentioned that he would not require any identity card and dismissed his petition.

Chennai:The state government on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that the Sri Lankan High Commission has granted passports to three released convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case, Murugan, Jayakumar and Robert Pius. It mentioned that the three will be deported to Sri Lanka after receiving permission from the Union government.

The case was heard before a division bench comprising Justice R Suresh Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu. Sriharan alias Murugan had approached the court seeking a directive to the state to issue a photo identity card to apply for a visa to travel to the United Kingdom, where his daughter resides.

Additional Public Prosecutor R Muniyappa Raj informed the bench that the Sri Lankan High Commission has granted passports to the released convicts. He also mentioned that the state had written to the Union government seeking permission for their deportation.

The bench observed that since Murugan has been granted a passport, he no longer requires an identity card for travel to UK. Consequently, the petition was disposed of by the court.

After being released from jail, Murugan has been confined in a special detention camp at Trichy. His daughter, a UK citizen, had made arrangements for her father to stay with her. In order to secure a visa Murugan had applied for an identity card and moved court in this regard.

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