Three ex-convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination return to Sri Lanka
Chennai, Apr 3: Three ex-convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, all of them Sri Lankans, returned to their home country on Wednesday, nearly two years after being freed by the Supreme Court. They had earlier served a three-decade prison term in connection with the killing of the former Prime Minister.
V Murugan alias Srikaran, S Jeyakumar and B Robert Payas left by a Sri Lankan carrier for Colombo on Wednesday, officials said.
The Tamil Nadu government had last month informed the Madras High Court that the Sri Lankan High Commission here had granted travel documents to Murugan and the rest and they could return home once a deportation order is issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). Murugan had earlier moved the court seeking a direction to authorities concerned to provide him a photo ID.
The three persons 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 were brought here last night and left for Colombo today.
Earlier, Murugan's wife Nalini had also moved the court, seeking a direction to the authorities to permit her husband to appear before the Sri Lankan High Commission here with an escort to get an 'all country passport'. The couple intended to join their daughter who is now residing in the UK, she had then submitted.
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.
On Wednesday, Nalini met Murugan and others at the airport, prior to their journey back home.
Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomber of the banned LTTE nearby Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.
Seven persons were convicted in the case with four of them, including Nalini, given capital punishment, but later it was commuted to life.
All seven had served over 30 years in prison before the Supreme Court ordered their premature release in November 2022.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
