3 ex-convicts in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination return to Sri Lanka

Chennai: Three ex-convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, all of them Sri Lankans, returned to their home country on Wednesday.

Murugan alias Sriharan, Jayakumar and Robert Payas left by a Sri Lankan carrier, officials said.

They were among the seven convicts in the case freed by the Supreme Court in November 2022.

Post their release, they were lodged in a special camp in Tiruchirappalli. They arrived here last night and left for Colombo today.

The Tamil Nadu government had earlier informed the Madras High Court they could travel back home once the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) issued a deportation order.

The Sri Lankan High Commission here had earlier issued them travel documents to return home.

Another Lankan national convicted in the case, Santhan, had died here recently.

The others who had been convicted and freed in the case are Perarivalan, Ravichandran and Nalini, all Indians.

All seven had served over 30 years in prison.