By Saman Indrajith

The government was afraid of instituting criminal proceedings against former SIS Chief Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, for such action would inevitably cause the masterminds behind the carnage to be exposed.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that if criminal proceedings were instituted, many of those who had blood on their hands would be exposed. The PCoI has said Nilantha Jayawardena was the first to receive a warning of the impending attacks from foreign intelligence agency via WhatsApp. It was later found that he had deleted the messages.

Kiriella said so after SJB Puttalam District MP Hector Appuhamy protested against the government’s failure to respond to his demand that the Minister of Public Security inform the House of the police officers against whom criminal proceedings had been recommended by the PCoI. Appuhamy said that he had raised that question many months back and it appeared for the third time in the Order Paper for yesterday’s proceedings. The response to the question was read out to the House by Leader of the House Education Minister Susil Premajayantha.

Instead of Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, Susil Premajayantha responded that no police officer had been indicted as per the recommendations of the PCoI and as such consequential questions did not arise. Appuhamy protested that he could not raise supplementary questions as the subject Minister was not present to respond and it was unfair by the victims and amounted to a breach of his privilege as an MP.

Minister Premajayantha said Minister Alles would come to Parliament within the day and respond to supplementary questions of the MP.

Later, Minister Alles, addressing the House said that MP Appuhamy in his questions, had sought to know the names of police officers who had been indicted for the Easter Sunday attacks. “No police officer has been served with indictments in this connection. The PCoI has not indicted any police officer. The Commission has referred the matter to the Attorney General to study and decide what legal action should be taken. The report does not name officers. Until that our Ministry cannot give out names. It is wrong. After the Attorney General serves them indictments, I would be in a position to give names.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said that the answer given by the Minister was wrong. We have perused the available PCoI reports. They specifically mention the name of DIG Jayawardena and it recommends that criminal proceedings should be instituted against him. The government is scared of implementing that recommendation.

State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Rural and Ayurveda Hospital Development and Community Health Sisira Jayakody: The Easter Sunday terror attacks took place under your government.

Minister Alles challenged the Opposition to mention the number of the page where action had been recommended against DIG Jayawardena.

MP Appuhamy said that on page number 320 of the report the PCoI calls for action against Jayawardena. If you take action against Jayawardena, as recommended by the Committee, the truth will come to light.

Minister Alles: That is his wishful thinking. We are accused of not taking legal action against Jayawardena. There was a case against him and the judgment was given that he should pay 75 million rupees as compensation. If he had names of those responsible, he could have divulged those names there and get out of the fine to save his money.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: That was a civil case. It was not a criminal case. Compensation was ordered as a part of the verdict of the civil case. We know that his fine was paid by those in the government side because many of those in the government and Opposition ranks would have ended up in jails if Jayawardena opened his mouth. The PCoI recommends instituting criminal proceedings.