Pillayan Further Remanded in Multiple Murder Case

COLOMBO (News 1st): Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, and two others have been further remanded until October 27 in connection with a case involving the murder of five individuals in Batticaloa.

The order was issued when the case was taken up before court today.

During today's open court proceedings, the two remanded suspects, Mohamed Sifan and Mohamed Sakeed, were produced physically before court, while Pillayan was produced via video-link technology.

The ongoing proceedings relate to several incidents that allegedly occurred in 2008, including the fatal shooting of two individuals, one of whom was a police officer, in the Kallady area of Batticaloa.

The case also covers the shooting deaths of two individuals in Kattankudy, including a member of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), as well as the alleged abduction and brutal killing of a businessman in the Vavunatheevu-Karaiyakkanditheevu area.

Pillayan, who is a suspect in relation to these incidents, had been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The two other suspects, Mohamed Sifan and Mohamed Sakeed, who are residents of Kattankudy and are alleged to have served as military intelligence informants, were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).