CHENNAI: The centre has told Madras High Court it cannot deport Murugan, one of those convicted for assassinating former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, to United Kingdom, as per his request, but he can be repatriated to his home country Sri Lanka provided the island nation gives its nod.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Monday, made the submission before a division bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and P Dhanapal when a petition filed by Murugan, who was released last year, came up for hearing.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR L Sundaresan, representing the FRRO, said that Murugan seeks issuance of travel documents to exit India and go to UK but such a permission or exit order cannot be issued by FRRO. The FRRO has written to the MEA, which has forwarded the papers to Sri Lankan High Commission, the ASG added.
“Only if the Sri Lankan High Commission issues a passport or travel documents to the petitioner, can FRRO proceed further and issue an exit order for the petitioner to leave for his home country,” the ASG said. He mentioned that the exit order cannot be given to any other country.
Murugan is currently lodged in the special camp for foreigners in Tiruchy. He had applied for permission to travel abroad to be with his daughter in UK. The bench disposed of the petition with a direction to the state government to provide security for Murugan whenever he visits Chennai to complete formalities for issuance of a passport.