New Delhi, June 10
Controversial Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, whose visit to India as part of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s delegation has led to a controversy in view of reports that he is a proclaimed offender, is not on the ‘watch list’ of the Indian Mission in Colombo, the government said today.

“If the minister was a proclaimed offender, his name would have been on the watch list of the mission and he would not have been issued visa,’’ MEA sources said, but hastened to add that the government was trying to verify facts in the matter.

The Lankan minister, meanwhile, told reporters that all political leaders were pardoned under the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord but offered to face any legal action in India, if warranted. “…According to the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement, they have pardoned all leaders, all political leaders…If there is anything legal, I am prepared to face that,” he said.

News reports today said Devananda, whose presence in the presidential delegation created a stir in India as he was accorded treatment due to a state guest, had been declared a proclaimed offender and an absconding accused by a Sessions Court in Tamil Nadu over a shootout-cum-murder in 1986. Devananda was then a member of the separatist movement Eelam People's Revolutionary Front (EPRLF) in Sri Lanka. The sources said Devananda had been a frequent visitor to India. He had last visited this country some six months back. Devananda himself had stated he had been pardoned by both India and Sri Lanka for the offence as per the Indo-Sri Lanka accord.

They said India had extended the invitation for the visit to the Sri Lankan president and it was Rajapaksa’s prerogative to decide whom to bring along in his entourage.

Sri Lankan High Commission sources also said Devananda ceased to be a proclaimed offender after the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord and had visited India many times in the last 20 years.

Chennai, June 10
The Tamil Nadu Police today said it was awaiting a reply from the Delhi Police Commissioner on the arrest of Sri Lankan Minister Douglas Devananda, who is a part of the Mahinda Rajapaksa’s delegation.

Commenting on his arrest, a proclaimed offender alleged in a murder case in Tamil Nadu, Chennai Police Commissioner T Rajendran said he had sent all details about the cases against Devananda to the Delhi Commissioner and was awaiting a reply.

Devananda, who is accompanying Rajapaksa on his first state visit, was declared a proclaimed offender by a Chennai court on charges of murder, rioting and unlawful Assembly in Chennai in 1986.

Pugazhendhi, secretary of Tamil Nadu People’s Rights Forum, seeking Devandanda’s arrest, which is yet to come up for hearing, had filed a PIL in the Madras High Court.

Devananda, Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises of Sri Lanka, is heading the Eelam People’s Democratic Party, an alliance partner of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party, headed by Rajapaksa.

Devananda was in Chennai in the mid 80s, when the AIADMK government headed by MGR provided asylum to the outfits fighting for Sri Lankan Tamils’ freedom. When the locals objected to his conduct and asked him to vacate the area, he opened fire at them.An auto driver, Thirunavukkarasu, was killed in a shooting incident.The minister was also involved in two cases of kidnap and murder threat.