CHENNAI : A division bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices R Suresh Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu on Friday directed the Tiruchy collector to facilitate Murugan alias Srikaran, one of the convicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, to appear at the Sri Lankan deputy high commission for passport interview.
The bench said it felt the district collector of Tiruchy can arrange for the interview, and if he can get appointment, there could be no impediment to bring Murugan from the detention camp in Tiruchy to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai.
“Hence, the third respondent (collector) is hereby directed to work out the possibility of getting an appointment with the Sri Lankan high commission in Chennai within a day or two and report the developments before this court by March 12,” the bench said in the order.
Murugan’s wife Nalini had filed the petition seeking the court to issue order to the government authorities concerned to facilitate his travel to the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission for the interview.
Advocate S Doraisamy, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the detention camp authorities were insisting on an appointment from the deputy high commission but it had said no such appointment could be given, and any Sri Lankan national can visit the office between 11 am and 1.30 pm.
“Therefore, the state authorities especially the district collector of Tiruchy has to take necessary steps to bring Murugan to the high commission office in Chennai with full escort on any working day,” he said.
However, the state government said if the high commission could not complete the procedure on the date he is taken, it may cause difficulties.
The court posted the matter to March 12 for further hearing.