Thilliamaplam Maheswari’s dream of being with her son is on the verge of becoming a reality.
Her son Thillampalam Suthenthira Raja aka Santhan’s deportation to Sri Lanka has been cleared by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments.
Convicted in the assassination case of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and incarcerated in prison for over three decades, Santhan along with 7 others was freed by the Supreme Court of India citing a precedence of releasing yet another convict in the case Perarivalan.
A temporary travel document that was to him valid till the 1st of August 2024 has been issued by the Deputy High Commission for Sri Lanka (DHCSL) in Chennai earlier this month.
The original travel document issued to him has been sent to the Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu (Public Department) to expedite the process of sending him back to Sri Lanka and to be completed at the earliest.
“It would be appreciated if you could acknowledge the receipt of the travel documents, expedite the deportation process of the above Sri Lankan national at the earliest, and keep the Mission informed of the developments,” the counsellor for the Deputy High Commissioner wrote to the state government.
According to the DHCSL, the travel document for Santhan has been issued based on a request from the Government of India’s Ministry of External Affairs enabling his deportation to Sri Lanka from the Special (Detention) Camp in Trichy.
Santhan had earlier appealed to State and Federal governments to permit him to travel back to his native country to be with his elderly mother. Her mother Thillaiampalam Maheswari also made a tearful appeal to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting to send her son back.
His appeal was forwarded to the Central government by the State government seeking to take necessary action.
Santhan was recently shifted from the Special Camp to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai in critical condition for treatment of his damaged liver.
“He has been diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis- a condition with no apparent underlying reason and is now admitted to the hematology (liver) Intensive Care Unit. This is a non-alcoholic liver disease. He came to the hospital with breathlessness, fluid in the abdomen, and swelling in the limbs. His condition is critical” Dr E Theranirajan, hospital dean told the ‘Times of India’ a day after he was admitted.
Doctors have opined a liver transplant may be needed for him which could be done after his health condition stabilizes.
His lawyer Pugalenthi says his health condition has improved a little now and that he could be able to travel.
