Sri Lanka transfers 29 Indian prisoners

The Sri Lankan government has transferred 29 Indian prisoners to India under bilateral agreement between both countries, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said on Monday.

The High Commission said that 31 sentenced prisoners under detention in Sri Lanka were found eligible for transfer to India pursuant to the bilateral agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners between India and Sri Lanka signed in June 2010.

"As stipulated in the agreement, to facilitate the social rehabilitation of sentenced prisoners in their own country, cases of these prisoners were duly processed by the Government of Sri Lanka and forwarded to the Government of India for completion of required formalities on the Indian side," the High Commission said.

That High Commission said that on completion of all formalities, the prisoners were transferred back to India in two batches.

"The High Commissioner acknowledged the assistance rendered by all concerned departments of the Government of Sri Lanka and expressed hope for continued cooperation in this area," the Indian High Commission said.

The announcement of the prisoner transfer came as Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister Professor G.L Peiris was in India to formally invite Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in November.