HC admits petition seeking legal aid to TN fishermen

Justice P P S Janarthana Raja and Justice M Duraisamy asked the counsel for the Centre to take notice of the petition and posted the case for hearing on September 17.

The petitioner, Abdul Kalam Asad, a social worker, said after the arrest of the fishermen on "false charges" on November 28 last year, the Central and state governments did not take any step for their release.

After the local fishermen held various protests for the release of the five, officials held talks with them and assured to help them. Even after several months, there was no progress in their case, the petitioner said.

In Sri Laka, life imprisonment was the punishment for drug smuggling, the petitioner said.

Under Legal Services Authorities Act and UN convention against transnational organised crimes, the Centre and state governments should provide legal assistance to them, he said.

The petitioner also sought the court to direct the governments to take effective steps to secure the release of the fishermen, now languishing in Lankan prison.