Sri Lankan High Commission Grants Travel Documents to Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case Ex-Convict: Govt to Madras HC

The Madras High Court was informed by the Tamil Nadu government that the Sri Lankan High Commission has granted travel documents to Murugan, an ex-convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Once a deportation order is issued, Murugan can return home, the court was told.

Murugan, also known as Sriharan, is a Sri Lankan national and one of the seven convicts in the high-profile assassination. He was released by the Supreme Court in November 2022 after serving over 30 years in prison.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Murugan seeking direction to the Director of Rehabilitation to issue a photo ID, Additional Public Prosecutor R Muniyapparaj informed the court that the Tamil Nadu government has addressed the matter to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Chennai. He stated that once the necessary deportation order is passed by the FRRO, Murugan can go back to Sri Lanka, as temporary travel documents have been issued to him by the Sri Lankan High Commission.

In response, M Radhakrishnan, counsel for the petitioner, noted that this development was not known at the time of filing the writ petition and would now approach the FRRO to obtain the deportation order.

Considering these submissions, the division bench comprising Justices R Suresh Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu disposed of the petition. The bench stated, “In view of the said development as stated herein above, we feel that no order is required to be passed in this writ petition as per the prayer sought for herein to give a direction to the respondents to issue an identity card to the petitioner.” Additionally, the bench emphasized that the travel document issued by the Sri Lankan High Commission to Murugan is sufficient and valid. They stated, “Moreover, the very travel document issued by the Sri Lankan High Commission to the petitioner itself is enough and valid document, based on which he can get the deportation order from the FRRO, Chennai and thereafter can travel back to his home country.”