Sri Lankan native deported to Kochi from Dubai

NEDUMBASSERY:  A Sri Lankan native Vasanthan,30, who managed to leave Kochi international airport on his way to Paris with a passport having false address was deported back to Kochi airport on Monday morning when he was caught red handed by the authorities in Dubai. M R Maniyan, Superintendent of Police (Immigration) in Kochi airport told ‘Express’ that the passenger Palanivelu of New Street, Pyari Chennai, possessing a passport issued from Chennai passport office, left Kochi airport to Paris via Dubai by Emirates flight EK 533 in the wee hours of Sunday. But the immigration personnel in Dubai airport who realised the slang of the passenger as of Sri Lankan grilled him. The passenger reportedly revealed he was actually a Sri Lankan named Vasanthan, son of Jayakumar, Jaffna and reached Chennai as a refugee during the civil war in the country. He managed to get a passport in the name of Palanivelu. He left Kochi airport after emigration clearance to Dubai on his way to Paris. As the passport issued from Chennai was genuine, the passenger could manage to get his documents cleared and leave the airport. He might have succeeded in getting the passport with the support of some personnel who verified the details in the application for passport in Chennai, emigration SP doubted.  But the Dubai immigration officials intercepted him and was deported by the the next Emirates flight EK 532 to Kochi when they were confirmed of the manipulation in the passport. Vasanthan was handed over to Nedumbassery Police who later handed him over to crime detachment personnel. Police launched investigation to find whether the passenger was an LTTE activist. Vasanthan will be charged for violation of Passport Act, impersonation and cheating the officials.