Deshabandu, Senior Cops Violated Rights of Shani, Ravi

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Supreme Court today (15) ruled that former Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, former Deputy Inspector General Palitha Siriwardena, and Chief Inspector Induka Silva acted in accordance with a political agenda and violated the fundamental rights of former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Senior Deputy Inspector General Ravi Seneviratne and former CID Director Shani Abeysekara.

The ruling was delivered in connection with a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara, who sought an order preventing the arrest of Seneviratne over investigations originating from a complaint lodged by former Deputy Inspector General Palitha Siriwardena and a group of police officers.

In its judgment, the Supreme Court held that the actions of Deshabandu Tennakoon, Palitha Siriwardena and Induka Silva had resulted in the violation of the petitioners' fundamental rights.

The Court further ordered that no further action be taken in relation to the complaint made by former Deputy Inspector General Palitha Siriwardena to the Criminal Investigation Department alleging links between the petitioners and the Easter Sunday attacks, finding that the complaint had been pursued on the basis of political motives.

The Supreme Court issued these directives while delivering its decision on the Fundamental Rights application filed by former CID Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne and former CID Director Shani Abeysekara, who had sought legal protection against arrest in relation to the investigations initiated following the complaint lodged by Palitha Siriwardena and several other police officers