Sri Lankan Minister Devananda faced charges in Indian Court

New Delhi, June 10 (ANI): A public interest litigation (PIL) has been issued against Sri Lankan Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Douglas Devananda on charges of murder, rioting and unlawful assembly in Chennai.

Devananda, who is accompanying Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his first state visit to India, was accused in a PIL petition on Wednesday.

He was a member of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), when he and nine others allegedly fired at civilians in November 1986 in Chennai.

Devananda, however, said that he was pardoned under the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord of 1987.

"Sri Lanka and India have given pardon to all leaders; all political leaders were pardoned. Every one's pardon was given after Indo-Sri Lanka agreement in Sri Lanka and India. So if there is any legality, I am prepared to face that," said Devananda. (ANI)