The Madurai Bench of the Madras Excessive Courtroom on Wednesday directed the Centre to file a standing report on a petition that sought a path to the governments to take speedy steps for the discharge of 68 fishermen who’ve been remanded in Sri Lanka in December.
A complete of 43 fishermen had been taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy on December 18. On December 19, 12 fishermen had been taken into custody and 13 extra fishermen had been taken into custody on December 20.
A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and S. Srimathy sought the report on December 31. The courtroom took observe of the truth that the Indian authorities had already despatched communications to their counterparts in Sri Lanka on this regard. The courtroom requested the authorities to maintain a time restrict and get the fishermen again.
Advocate Common R. Shunmugasundaram submitted that the cost in opposition to the fishermen was that they’d poached in Sri Lankan territorial waters. The fishermen had been remanded in judicial custody in native courts in Sri Lanka, he submitted.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Okay. Stalin has sought the intervention of the Centre to get the fishermen again, he mentioned. The communication made by the State authorities to the Centre was submitted to the courtroom.
Assistant Solicitor Common L. Victoria Gowri submitted that Indian authorities had been in talks with the Sri Lankan authorities. Diplomatic channels have been opened, she mentioned and sought time to file an in depth report.
The petitioner G. Thirumurugan, Coordinator of the Tamilnadu Meenavar Paadhugaapu Urimai Iyakkam primarily based in Ramanathapuram district sought a path to the Centre and the State to take speedy steps for the discharge of the 68 fishermen and their boats within the custody of Sri Lankan authorities. He additionally complained that disinfectants had been sprayed on the fishermen once they had been taken into custody in Sri Lanka. This was a human rights violation, he mentioned.
