INDIAN COURT RESERVES ORDER ON PETITION BY DOUGLAS DEVANANDA

October 16, 2012

An Indian court on Tuesday reserved its orders on a petition of Sri Lankan Minister Douglas Devananda seeking exemption from personal appearance in connection with a murder case.

Sessions court Judge S Rajagopalan reserved orders over Devananda’s petition to October 18.

Arguments over the petition filed by the Lankan Minister had commenced on October 12. 

Devananda, presently minister for traditional industries in Sri Lanka, was allegedly involved in a murder here in 1986 and was later declared a proclaimed offender. A Non-Bailable Warrant is also been pending against him.

He had moved court on September 11 to recall the NBW and submitted that a case had been registered against him and five others under various sections of the IPC.

Douglas had submitted his life was still in danger from LTTE ‘sleeper cells’ both in Sri Lanka and abroad and his visit to Tamil Nadu to appear in connection with the case would create a law and order problem here.

He had prayed that his personal appearance before the court in Chennai be dispensed with.  (PTI)

TAMIL NADU COPS CANNOT ENSURE SAFETY - DEVANANDA

October 17, 2012  09:04 am

Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda has expressed doubts about police’s ability to ensure his safety if he appears for trial in a murder case in Chennai. Tamil Nadu police were equal to the Scotland Yard in investigation, but when it comes to security they are not as efficient, as was evident from the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, his counsel told a sessions court, which is hearing the minister’s petition seeking recall of the pending non-bailable warrant against him and permission to face the trial through video-conferencing.

 

After hearing the arguments, IV additional sessions judge S Rajagopalan said he would deliver the verdict on the plea on October 18.

The matter relates to a murder case registered against Douglas and his associates for the Diwali-eve murder of one Thirunavukkarasu at Choolaimedu here in 1986. The sessions court had issued the non-bailable warrant against him and declared him an absconding accused in 1994, after he and others failed to appear in court. In his petition, Douglas said his entry into Tamil Nadu and personal appearance in the court would trigger law and order in the state. Apprehending threat to his life in the state, his counsel also wanted the trial to be conducted through video-conferencing.

Additional public prosecutor Prabhavathi, however, informed the court that an accused must present himself before the court concerned if he wants the warrant against him to be recalled. Allaying Douglas’ apprehensions about his personal safety, she said the state police would give him full protection to him during trial.

However, Douglas’ counsel P N Prakash, citing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur, said police cannot ensure safety of the minister. Several policemen too died in the assassination, he said.

Prabhavathi, opposing trial via video-conferencing, told the court that since several police officers handling the case had been transferred during the interregnum period, it would be difficult for any officer to identify the accused shown on the video. Prakash, however, said identification of the accused could be done by the witnesses and there was no need for the investigating officer to do so. Douglas has said he was prepared to face trial in the murder case but it should be through video-conferencing. (TNN)