Advocate P. Pugalenthi has approached the Madras high court seeking a direction to the state government to initiate the process for the issuance of a Red Corner notice against Sri Lankan minister Duglas Devananda in connection with a murder case pending in a city court here.
The Union government filed a counter stating that he cannot be arrested during his visit to India as he enjoys immunity against an arrest referral request.
Duglas filed a petition before the Madras high court to set aside a 1994 order of a lower court proclaiming him an absconding accused.
The hgh court in 2010 held that Duglas continued to remain outside the country when he had the knowledge of pendency of a criminal case and thereby absconding.
Ever after the order, Duglas was not ready to appear before the court to face trial.
Red Corner notices are issued to seek the arrest or provisional arrest of wanted persons to facilitate extradition. Unless, such notice is issued, he will continue to remain an absconding accused, Pugalenthi contended.
A division bench of Justices K. Mohanram and G.M. Akbar Ali, before whom the petition came up for hearing, adjourned it by two weeks.