MHA appoints SPP for NIA case on Sri Lankan drug mafia, LTTE revival

The MHA appointed advocate Sindhu Ravishankar as Special Public Prosecutor for an NIA case in Kerala. She will conduct the trial against a Sri Lankan drug mafia syndicate accused of drug/arms trafficking and trying to revive the LTTE in India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed advocate Sindhu Ravishankar as Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to conduct the trial in a National Investigation Agency (NIA) case related to an alleged Sri Lankan drug mafia syndicate, narcotics and arms trafficking, and cryptocurrency networks aimed at reviving the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, in India and Sri Lanka.

Sindhu will conduct trials in the case on behalf of the NIA before the Ernakulam court in Kerala for a period of three years or till the completion of the trial of the case or till the satisfaction of the Central anti-terror agency.

Legal Provisions for Appointment

The Ministry exercised the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, read with sub-section (8) of Section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to appoint Sindhu Ravishankar as Special Public Prosecutor in the case.

Sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, empowers the Central Government to appoint Public Prosecutors and Additional Public Prosecutors, including Special Public Prosecutors for specific cases. Sub-section (8) of Section 18 of the BNSS, 2023, allows the Central or State Government to appoint Special Public Prosecutors for specific cases and grants victims the right to engage an advocate of their choice to assist the prosecution.

The announcement comes through a notification issued by the MHA's Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division last week.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), read with sub-section (8) of section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the Central Government hereby appoints Sindhu Ravishankar, Advocate as Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for conducting trial and other matters related to NIA case No. RC-29/2022/NIA/DLI, on behalf of the National Investigation Agency, before the Hon'ble NIA Special Courts, Ernakulam for a period of 3 years from the date of publication of this notification or till the completion of trial of the said case or till the satisfaction of NIA with the performance of the SPP, whichever is earlier," reads the notification.

Details of the NIA Investigation

The NIA took over the case on July 8, 2022 following orders issued by the CRTCR division of the MHA on July 5, 2022.

NIA's First Information Report mentions that the Sri Lankan drug mafia controlled by C Gunashekharan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna in association with Haji Salim, a drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan, has been operating in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka in the illegal drugs and arms trade for the revival of the LTTE, a proscribed terrorist organisation in India and Sri Lanka.

Prominent Gang Members

Other prominent members of the gangs operating in India have been identified as Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperrumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka alias Kottaghamini alias Sunil Ghamini alias Neelkandan, Stanley Kennady Fernando alias Ezhilon alias Bumma alias Kisan, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya and Asitha Noyal Kumara.

On August 5, 2022, the NIA had also conducted searches at the residence of one suspect in Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu in the case pertaining to activities of the Sri Lankan drug mafia. The search had led to the seizure of digital devices and incriminating documents. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)