COLOMBO: A petition was filed today in a Sri Lankan court seeking the arrest of top LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan or KP, who is also wanted in India in connection with the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The petition was filed in the Court of Appeals here by the country's Marxist party JVP. "We want him arrested for his activities. He has to answer many questions," Vijitha Herath, a senior leader of the party, said.
KP, who took over the leadership of the LTTE following the death of Velupillei Prabakaran, was the chief international arms procurer for the group. The opposition in the run up to the January 8 presidential polls had accused the ousted President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government of harbouring him. He was operating a children's home in Kilinochchi, the former LTTE stronghold, under an NGO which the opposition alleges was backed by the Rajapaksa government.
The Malaysian intelligence at Sri Lanka's request arrested KP in 2011. Upon his return to the country, he was allowed to roam freely in the north of the country under security escort. Analysts believe that Rajapaksa wanted him to build what was described as a political base to replace Tamil political parties. KP is wanted in India for his involvement in Gandhi's assassination in 1991. He was on an Interpol watch list for murder of former Indian Prime Minister.
Newly-elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's top aide and spokesman Rajitha Senaratne had recently said they were trying to locate KP and investigating reports that he had fled the country.