The Madras High Court today posted to June 14 a petition seeking direction to the Centre to take immediate steps for the arrest of Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, who is part of the visiting Presidential delegation, in connection with a 1986 murder case.

When the petition by a pro-Sri Lankan Tamil forum came up for hearing, chief justice M Y Eqbal and justice T S Sivagnanam posted it for further hearing on June 14.

Earlier, M Radhakrishnan, counsel for the petitioner, mentioned before the court about taking up the petition as it related to the issue of arrest of a visiting foreign minister.

In the petition, P Pugalenthi, secretary of Tamil Nadu Peoples Rights Forum, a pro-Sri Lankan Tamils body, contended that the VIth Additional Sessions Judge in June 1994 had issued a proclamation warrant against Douglas Devananda, treating him as 'absconding accused' in the case relating to the killing of a city resident in 1986.

Submitting that charges had been framed against Devananda on January 20, 1987, for various offences under IPC, including murder and Indian Arms Act, Pugalenthi said Devananda was currently on a visit to India accompanying Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and the police 'are supposed to do their duty and arrest him immediately, he being an absconding person'.

The petitioner said the minister was also wanted in two other cases.