Santhan alias T Suthendiraraja, a Sri Lankan national who was one of the six convicts released in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, died on Wednesday morning at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital (RGGH) in Chennai.

According to Indian media, The Indian Express, Santhan, who was released by the Supreme Court in November 2022, was kept at the special camp near the Tiruchirapalli Central Prison.

Last week, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chennai issued an order to deport Santhan to Sri Lanka; however, he was admitted to the RGGH for treatment for a kidney-related ailment.

Addressing the reports, E Thenirajan, Dean, RGGH, said that based on the directions of the Tiruchirapalli district collector, Santhan was admitted to the hospital on January 27. Thenirajan said a team of doctors were treating him at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and constantly monitoring him. He said Santhan was diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis or a liver disease.

“He suffered a setback to his health yesterday (Tuesday) night. He had lost consciousness and we were providing treatment. Around 4.30 am today (Wednesday), he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was revived following a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) procedure and was on ventilator support. However, he failed to respond to further treatment and passed away at 7.50 am,” he said.

Thenirajan said they would carry out the post-mortem procedures now and take further measures to send his body to Sri Lanka.

According to court documents, Santhan is believed to have fled then strife-torn Sri Lanka in 1991 and reached India by boat, along with Sivarasan, who led the assassination team and was never caught alive, and a few others. According to the Supreme Court order, Santhan’s role in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was direct and active.

Santhan was initially sentenced to death for his involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, however, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was released in November 2022, along with five other convicts, after spending over three decades in prison. (Indian Express)

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Justice Sunder Mohan of the Madras High Court in India on Monday (Oct 9) recused himself from hearing a writ petition filed by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination case convict, Santhan alias T. Suthendraraja.

According to The Hindu, the petitioner has sought direction from the Union Home Ministry as well as the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate steps for his deportation to Sri Lanka.

When the case was listed before a Division Bench of Justices S.S. Sundar and Sunder Mohan, the latter recused himself from hearing the petition since he had been a counsel on record in a connected case before the Supreme Court. 

Hence, the Bench directed the Registry to list the case before a Bench led by Justice D. Krishnakumar as per standing instructions.

In an affidavit filed through his counsel P. Pugalendhi, the petitioner stated that he was a Sri Lankan national, and hence had been detained in a special camp (foreigners detention centre) under the Foreigners Act, 1946 ever since he was released from prison in November 12, 2022, pursuant to a Supreme Court order.

Santhan claimed that the Union Home Ministry had passed an order on November 11, 2022, ordering that he should not move out of the boundaries of the special camp till his deportation to his home country. 

The petitioner said that he wanted to go to Sri Lanka immediately since his 75-year-old mother residing in Valvetti in Jaffna was seriously ill.

Referring to a representation made by him in this regard to the Centre as well as the State government, he said, his representations were yet to be considered. (NewsWire)

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