SC halts deportation of Sri Lankan Tamil, seeks govt reply on Switzerland visa plea
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a 2019 deportation order issued against a Sri Lankan Tamil immigrant and sought a response from Indian authorities regarding his request to visit the Embassy of Switzerland in person to process a humanitarian visa application.
A bench comprising Justices KV Viswanathan and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to the respondent authorities, noting that over five and a half years had passed since the said deportation order was passed by the government on November 20, 2019.
The petitioner, currently held at the Trichy Special Camp, had approached the apex court challenging the deportation order and seeking permission to physically visit the Swiss Embassy.
His earlier plea was dismissed by the Madras High Court in December 2024.
Senior Advocate Jayanth Muth Raj, appearing for the petitioner, emphasised the imminent danger to the petitioner's life if deported to Sri Lanka, stating, 'Don't deport me... all my family members have been eliminated. I am not a threat to India. If Switzerland grants a humanitarian visa, I will go there instead of getting killed in Sri Lanka.'
Muth Raj informed the bench that the petitioner has spent nine years in India, three in prison and six in detention and had already been acquitted in a human trafficking case in 2019.
He also submitted that the petitioner was willing to cover the expenses for any security officer assigned to escort him to the Swiss Embassy.
When Justice Viswanathan asked about the urgency of listing the matter during the court's partial working days, the counsel cited grave and continuing threats to the petitioner's life, noting that his father, sister-in-law, and brother had been executed, not during combat, but after being apprehended.
The petitioner has reportedly received an email from the Swiss Embassy requiring his physical presence for visa processing.
The matter will be further heard after the authorities file their response.
UNI SNG RN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bring them back, say kin of Bahriach men stuck in Israel
Bahraich: With Iran and Israel locked in the missile war, hundreds of workers from Bahraich are stranded in the war-torn Jewish country. These men had migrated to Israel for employment nearly a year ago and are now stranded in the war-torn country due to suspension of flights. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The workers, employed across various companies in Israel, have expressed deep fear over the ongoing hostilities between the two nations. "The situation is very tense here. We hear sirens and news of attacks, and we are scared for our lives," said one of the Indian workers, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. In Mihipurwa area of Bahraich alone, over 150 labourers were sent to Israel for work following the earlier war between Israel and Ukraine, which led to a labour shortage and increased demand for foreign workers. Back home, families are pleading with the Indian govt to ensure the safe return of their loved ones. Kamalawati, the wife of Gopal, a labourer working in Israel for the past year, said, "My husband has been working hard and living there peacefully. But now, with this war, we are terrified. We urge the govt to bring him back safely." Similarly, the families of Sandeep and Sanjay, two brothers working in Israel, expressed growing fear. "We just want our sons to return home safely. This war has made us sleepless. Adding to the distress, several international flights have been cancelled due to the conflict, leaving the stranded workers with no clear way to return. The cancellation of flights has intensified the anxiety of their families, who are desperately awaiting news and any possible evacuation efforts. Local authorities and family members are now urging the ministry of external affairs to intervene promptly and coordinate with Israeli officials to arrange for the safe evacuation of all Indian nationals currently stuck in the region.
NDTV
16 minutes ago
- NDTV
Multiple Global Airlines Disrupted As Middle East Tensions Rise
Global airlines have suspended or reduced flights in the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran rages after the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites at the weekend. The United States carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites overnight Saturday to Sunday after over a week of deadly missile exchanges between Israel and Iran. Here is the latest airline situation: -European airlines - British Airways cancelled flights between London's Heathrow Airport and Dubai and Doha on Sunday following the US strikes on Iran. The airline said Monday it was scheduled to operate those routes as normal, though there were some cancellations ahead of a clutch of evening flights. Air France halted flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until at least Tuesday inclusive, the airline said. It also extended the suspension of the Paris-Tel Aviv route until July 14. Flights of Air France's low-cost carrier Transavia from Paris to Beirut have been suspended until June 30 while the Tel Aviv route is closed until September 7. Germany's Lufthansa group, whose other airlines include Swiss, Austrian and ITA, has suspended flights to the Middle East until June 30. The Amman and Erbil, Iraq, routes were also suspended until July 11. The group will not fly to Tel Aviv and Tehran will until July 31 and is also avoiding the air space of countries involved in the conflict. Greece's Aegean Airlines has stopped Tel Aviv flights until July 12. Its Amman, Beirut and Erbil routes are closed until June 28. Turkish airline Pegasus has scrapped flights to Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon until June 30, and Iran until July 30. Flag carrier Turkish Airlines on Monday cancelled its remaining flights for the day to Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Muscat. No Turkish Airlines flights to Baghdad, Damascus and Tehran are available before July 1. Finnair meanwhile confirmed it was suspending flights to Doha. The carrier is also staying out of the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. - US and Canadian airlines - United Airlines has warned passengers that flights to and from Dubai scheduled between June 18 and July 3 may be affected and is offering no-fee ticket changes under certain conditions due to Middle East unrest. The US airline has implemented the same flexibility for Tel Aviv flights between June 13 and August 1, allowing customers to rebook for other major European cities. Air Canada has temporarily suspended its daily non-stop service from Toronto to Dubai starting June 18 and warned the suspension could be extended. Travel via a European stopover on a partner airline remains possible, according to its website. American Airlines is allowing customers to change their bookings to Doha without fees for travel originally scheduled between June 19 and July 20. - Asian airlines - Singapore Airlines has cancelled eight flights to Dubai -- two per day from Sunday through Wednesday.
NDTV
16 minutes ago
- NDTV
Actor Srikanth Sent To Judicial Custody Till July 7 In Drugs Case
Chennai: Popular Tamil and Telugu film actor Srikanth has been remanded to judicial custody till July 7 by a Chennai court in connection with a cocaine-related case. The actor was interrogated for several hours at the Nungambakkam police station before being formally arrested. According to police sources, Srikanth is alleged to have purchased and used cocaine and maintained contacts with known drug suppliers. His blood samples were sent for medical examination, and reports reportedly confirmed drug usage. The case emerged from a broader crackdown on a drug network that was unearthed following a recent pub brawl involving a former AIADMK member, whose arrest led investigators to a series of other suspects - culminating in Srikanth's arrest. Srikanth, a familiar face in South Indian cinema, debuted in 2002 with Roja Kootam and has acted in nearly 70 films, including notable roles in Nanban, director Shankar's Tamil remake of the Bollywood hit 'Three Idiots'. There has been no official comment yet from Srikanth's legal team. His arrest comes amid an uptick in drug seizures and narcotics-related investigations in Tamil Nadu. The issue has triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition parties AIADMK and BJP targeting the ruling DMK, alleging a breakdown in law and order. The DMK has strongly denied the allegations, defending the police action as evidence of proactive enforcement. The Tamil Nadu Police, for their part, maintain that the prevalence of drug use in the state is among the lowest in the country even according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, and that stringent action is being taken against both peddlers and users. In a recent exclusive interview to NDTV, Director General of Police Mr Shankar Jiwal stated that while Tamil Nadu does not produce narcotics, it has become a transit hub for international drug trafficking, particularly for shipments destined to Sri Lanka and other countries.
