Chennai, Mar 26 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai has issued a temporary travel document to Murugan alias Sriharan, who is a convict released in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Additional Public Prosecutor R. Muniyapparaj appearing before a division bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices R. Suresh Kumar and K. Kumaresh Babu on Tuesday said that the Sri Lankan High Commission has informed the state government on the issuance of travel documents.

He told the court that it was now the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) to issue a deportation order and after that the released convict could travel to Sri Lanka.

The Division Bench recorded the submission and closed a writ petition filed by Murugan.

The court directed the Director of Rehabilitation under the state government to issue an identity card to him so that he could fly out of the country.

The division bench of the Madras High Court also told the petitioner’s counsel P. Pugalenthi that the identity card would not be necessary now since the high commission had already issued the travel document.

It may be noted that Sriharan alias Murugan, his wife Nalini Sriharan, Robert Payas, Ravichandran, Jayakumar and late Santhan alias Suthenthiraja had been released in the assassination case after being incarcerated for more than 32 years in various prisons. Santhan was issued a travel pass to travel to Sri Lanka, but he died in February.