He was arrested last September on charges of entering the United Kingdom by using a diplomatic passport bearing the name of Kokila Gunawardene

Following a 9 months imprisonment he was detained in a immigration detention centre for the last two months.

British Embassy in Colombo and the Tamil people Liberation Tigers, (TMVP) formed by Karuna after the split with LTTE confirmed Karuna's arrival into Sri Lanka on Thursday.

TMVP Spokesperson,Azad Maulana, told BBC that Col. Karuna spoke to him and other leaders on Thursday morning.

He did not comment on the possible political role that Karuna could play.

Col. Karuna, once a favourite of the LTTE supremo Pirabhakaran, broke away with the LTTE in 2003.

TMVP cadres played a major role in Sri Lanka Army's offensive against Tamil Tigers in the eastern province and subsequently TMVPs present leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan widely known as Pillayan was appointed as the cheif minister.