Appointment of Special Public Prosecutor in Major Drug Trafficking Case

Special Public Prosecutor Appointed by Home Ministry

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has designated lawyer Sindhu Ravishankar as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP). She will oversee the trial related to a case handled by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which involves an alleged Sri Lankan drug trafficking syndicate linked to narcotics, arms smuggling, and cryptocurrency networks. The objective of these activities is to support the 'Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam' (LTTE), also known as the 'Tamil Tigers,' in both India and Sri Lanka. Sindhu will conduct the trial at the Ernakulam Court in Kerala on behalf of the NIA for a duration of three years, until the trial concludes or until the central anti-terrorism agency is satisfied with the proceedings.

Legal Framework for Appointment

The appointment of Sindhu Ravishankar as SPP is based on the powers granted under Section 15(1) of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, and Section 18(8) of the Indian National Security Code (BNSS), 2023. These provisions empower the central government to appoint public prosecutors, including special ones for specific cases.

Notification Issued by MHA

This announcement was made last week through a notification from the MHA's Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) Division. The notification states that under the aforementioned legal provisions, the central government appoints lawyer Sindhu Ravishankar as the Special Public Prosecutor for the NIA case number RC-29/2022/NIA/DLI. This appointment will take place in the honorable NIA Special Court in Ernakulam and will remain effective for three years from the date of publication of the notification, or until the trial is completed, or until the NIA is satisfied with the SPP's work, whichever occurs first.

Background of the Case

The NIA took over this case on July 8, 2022, following orders issued by the MHA's CTCR Division on July 5, 2022. The FIR filed by the NIA indicates that the Sri Lankan drug mafia, led by C Gunasekharan alias Guna and Pushparaj alias Pookutti Kanna, collaborates with Haji Saleem, a drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan. They are reportedly engaged in illegal drug and arms trade in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka to revive the banned terrorist organization LTTE.