The Madras High Court on Thursday has fixed February 21 to hear the final arguments on the petition seeking the arrest of Sri Lankan Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda.
An Indian judge in June 1994 had issued a proclamation warrant against the leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), treating him as an 'absconding accused' in the case relating to the killing of a city resident in 1986.
In the public interest litigation petition filed P. Pugalenthi, secretary, Tamil Nadu People's Rights Forum, alleged that the Minister was involved in three criminal cases that were pending before Chennai courts.
India's External Affairs Ministry last September told the Court that Devananda cannot be arrested in India as he has diplomatic immunity.
The Ministry told the court that if Devananda was arrested while on a state visit, it would affect the relations between the two countries and also India does not have an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka.
Devananda says he was pardoned according to the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987.
The Minister has filed a petition at the Madras High Court to annul the local court proclamation declaring him as an absconding accused.
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