Chennai | The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that all arrangements have been made to escort Murugan alias Sriharan, an ex-convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, to the Sri Lankan High Commission here on on March 13 regarding his plea for travel documents.

Murugan is a Sri Lankan national and is among the seven convicts who were freed by the Supreme Court in November 2022, after a three-decade incarceration in connection with the killing of the former Prime Minister near here in 1991.

On Tuesday, Additional Public Prosecutor R Muniyapparaj made the submission when the petition filed by Nalini, also a former convict in the case and Murugan's wife, came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justices R Suresh Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu.

In her petition, Nalini sought a direction to the authorities to permit her husband, who was lodged at Special Camp (Foreigners Detention Centre) at Tiruchirapalli to appear before the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai on any working day between 09.30 to 15.30 hours and as and when required with escort to get an 'all country passport.' The couple intend to join their daughter who is now residing in the UK. Nalini is an Indian citizen.

The bench had on March 8 passed an interim order, directing the Trichy District Collector to take steps to contact the High Commission to fix up an appointment within a day or two for the transaction of business to get a passport or travel document for Murugan.

In its present order, the bench said relying upon the averments made in the status report filed by the District Collector, the Additional Public Prosecutor has submitted that every arrangement has been made to escort the husband of the petitioner to take him to the Sri Lankan High Commission on Wednesday at 12.30 p.m.

He also submitted that, after completion of the work at the High Commission, Murugan would again be taken back with police escort to the Trichy camp.