Devananda has diplomatic immunity, says Centre

CHENNAI: Sri Lankan Minister Douglas Devananda could not be arrested in view of the diplomatic immunity available to him, the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed the Madras High Court on Tuesday.In its counter-affidavit filed in response to a writ petition filed in June 2010 praying for a direction to the police to arrest him during his visit to India in June last year, the MEA submitted that the minister could not be detained even though there is an extradition agreement between India and Sri Lanka with effect from September 1, 1978 under the sub-section (1) of Sec. 3 of the Extradition Act, 1962.As an incumbent cabinet minister of Lanka, Devananda could not be arrested during his visit as he enjoyed diplomatic immunity against an arrest referral request, the affidavit added.