Padmanabhan extradition: HC issues notices to union home min

The Madras high court on Tuesday issued notices to the government and the Central Bureau of Investigation on a petition seeking extradition of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam operative Kumaran Padmanabhan, one of the main suspects in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, from Sri Lanka.The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and

Justice M Sathyanarayanan issued notice to the union home ministry and directed the counsel for the Centre to get instructions.

The court sought their responses by August 5. Petitioner J Mohanraj, one of the CBI officers who investigated the case, also wanted to inquire about Padmabhan's involvement in the murder.

He said a multi disciplinary agency was set up by the CBI on the basis of the report by Justice Jain Commission, which probed the killing, to conduct further investigation on the role of certain persons including Padmanabhan in the case.

Padmanabhan should be brought to India to reveal the 'secrets' behind Rajiv Gandi killing, he said. He also contended that Padmanabhan was very close to slain LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran and supplied explosives to LTTE from Singapore to Chennai.

Mohanraj said he had sent e-complaints to the Centre and also a representation to the union home ministry on the matter However, no response was received, he said.