Provide escort to Murugan: HC to TN govt

Chennai, Feb 12 (PTI) The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide necessary escort to Sriharan alias Murugan, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and freed from prison to enable him to appear before the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here for getting a passport.

A division bench comprising Justices D Krishnakumar and P Dhanabal gave the above directive in a recent order while disposing of a petition filed by Sriharan, a Sri Lankan national. He sought a direction to the authorities to permit him to go to Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission office here with proper escort for getting an all country passport and permit him to leave the country at his own cost.

The bench said, "At this juncture, we are inclined to grant the relief as prayed for by the petitioner only as against the State Government. As stated by the state government in the counter affidavit, as and when date and time is fixed by the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission, Chennai, for appearance of the petitioner, the petitioner shall appear" there.

"On such date and time, the state government is directed to provide necessary escort to the petitioner," the court added.

Following his release upon a Supreme Court verdict, the petitioner has been detained at the Special camp (Foreigners Detention Centre), Tiruchirappalli.

The bench said according to the petitioner, his daughter was allowed to enter the United Kingdom and was given refugee status and allowed to continue her studies. He further submitted he cannot go to his home country in view of the present situation and there was no safety to his life in Sri Lanka.

Hence, he made a request to the authorities to permit him to go to Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission Office at Chennai for getting an All Country Passport and thereafter permit him to travel to other countries. The said application was stated to be pending with the consular office. PTI CORR SA