CBI to question LTTE financer Padmanathan about Rajiv Gandhi's assassination

New Delhi, Aug 30 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is all set to question the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam's (LTTE) financer Kumaran Padmanathan alias 'KP' in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The questioning is expected to throw light on the events that led to Rajiv Gandhi's killing.

The CBI has collected data to question Padmanathan on the basis of decade-old findings of Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), which has been investigating the conspiracy behind Rajiv's killing.

The MDMA, which has been granted another extension by the Union Government, has begun the work to assist Lankan security officials, who will question Padmanathan in Sri Lanka.

The term of MDMA, headed by a CBI official and comprises officers from Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Revenue Intelligence, ended on May 31,but the Centre gave a post-facto approval.

Padmanathan, the alleged financier and an accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was arrested in a Southeast Asian country and brought to Sri Lanka.

Padmanathan who was a one of the most-wanted terrorists by Interpol, he is suspected to be chief of LTTE's Overseas Department for clandestine operations.

According to a review published by London based premier defence magazine Jane's Defence Intelligence Review, LTTE had two international wings-KP Department and Aiyanna Group-that were engaged in global terrorist activities.

The CBI had been following Padmanathan's trail since a decade and its team had travelled to New Zealand in 2002 and also questioned some Tamil speaking Lankan nationals, after securing permission from authorities in that country.

The MDMA has also been focusing on bank transactions of Padmanathan. India has taken up the matter with Germany to get the bank details of KP.

The Jain Commission, which probed the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, had come across various leads including bank transactions of the LTTE's frontal outfits before and after the assassination and on movement of arms meant for LTTE during that period.

The MDMA is keen to know the bank details of KP and some of his associates, including some Indian nationals who were alleged to have hatched the conspiracy to kill Rajiv.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 when an LTTE suicide bomber Dhanu blew herself up at an election rally in Tamil Nadu.

The CBI had approached over 20 countries for Padmanathan. (ANI)