LTTE ban: Tribunal records Centre's evidence

Chennai: A tribunal that was set up to judicially scrutinise the ban on the LTTE today recorded the evidence presented by the Union government in support of a notification it issued proscribing the outfit.

In its sitting here, the tribunal headed by Justice G P Mittal recorded the evidence presented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in support of the notification it issued banning the LTTE for five years from May 14, 2014.

The Home Ministry was represented by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain. Yogesh Khanna appeared as counsel for the government of Tamil Nadu. The tribunal will continue its hearing here tomorrow as well.

Speaking to reporters after participating in the tribunal's proceedings, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said the Centre had claimed the arrest of three LTTE men in 2012 to support its ban on the outfit.

"What is the proof the Centre has given to substantiate that they belong to LTTE? To this query, the court said the issue could be taken up later during arguments," he said adding he did not have access to see the documents presented.

The notification banning LTTE cited threat to India's sovereignty as a reason.

"The crusaders for a free Tamil homeland had never sought even an inch of Indian soil," he said and added that the territory sought was in Sri Lanka which is the traditional homeland of the Tamils there.