Two Sri Lankan Tamils who were languishing in jail even after the court had granted them bail more than a month ago in a ‘passport racket’ case, can now walk free. The Madras High Court has removed a bail condition that they should surrender their passports before the lower court.
There should not be any disparity between citizens and non-citizens so far as the application of criminal law was concerned. It was a fact that when accused persons had connections abroad, courts directed them to surrender their passports. “But when there is no passport at all, imposing such a condition is otiose,” observed Justice P.Devadass, in his order.
The petitioners, Ramesh and Kehteeswaran alias Arul, were stated to have been involved in a major passport racket. The offences were under various provisions of the law.
