Several parties seek leave to intervene

Counsel appearing on behalf of former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (retd.) Suresh Sallay has filed over 600 pages of additional material in support of his writ application. The next hearing is scheduled to take place tomorrow (10).

Arrested in late February this year under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and named the first accused in the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, Sallay, who served as the SIS from 2019 to 2024, is currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Colombo.

The additional material filed by Sallay’s counsel comprises sworn testimony and documentary evidence presented by investigators and other key witnesses before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks, chaired by Justice Janak de Silva. The filing included the sworn evidence of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.

According to the petitioner, the material provides a comprehensive account of the circumstances surrounding the Easter Sunday attacks, the investigations leading up to the terror attacks, and the actions and omissions of senior officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) during the relevant period. The petitioner contends that the evidence sheds light on those alleged to have been responsible for the attacks and highlights what are described as serious investigative failures and dereliction of duty on the part of certain senior officials.

The additional documents also include Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith’s evidence before the Commission, in which he emphasised the importance of ensuring that investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks are conducted independently and without political interference. The petitioner argues that this principle has not been upheld in the present circumstances.

Following the filing of the additional material, several parties have filed intervenient petitions seeking leave to intervene in the writ application. The intervenient petitioners are Ven. Dimbulagala Rahulalankara Thera, Dimbulagala Maha Viharaya, Dimbulagala, and Ven. Dapane Sumanawansa Thera, Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya, Gangodawila, Nugegoda; Global Sri Lanka Forum; Patriotic National Movement; and Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera, Sri Pangnananda Dharmayathanaya, Railway Station Road, Kelaniya, together with Rev. Angulugalle Siri Jinanda Thera, Sri Wimalaramaya, Isurupura, Malabe.

The filing of these intervenient petitions underscored the wider public interest in the proceedings and the significance attached to the issues before the Court, legal sources said.

The writ application is scheduled to be taken up for further hearing on 10 July, when the Court is expected to consider the intervening petitions together with the substantive matters arising in the main application.

The government yesterday (8) accused Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa of violating parliamentary Standing Orders and called for stern action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

The accusation was made after Premadasa, while raising a privilege matter, read out a list of questions from a document in the House, saying they were matters of national importance.

Leader of the House and Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament that Premadasa, under the guise of raising a privilege matter, had acted in violation of provisions of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.

“Standing Orders are meant to ensure the proper functioning of the House and its procedures. The Opposition Leader acted in contravention of those provisions. We request the Chair not to allow this to set a precedent. This matter must be investigated,” Minister Ratnayake said.

Premadasa said the Leader of the House was misinterpreting the incident and misleading Parliament. “The Leader of the House says what took place was wrong. Our position is that it was right,” Premadasa said.

Chief Government Whip and Health and Mass Media Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said the Chair should not allow parliamentary time to be wasted on “jokes” by the Opposition.

Badulla District NDF MP Chaminda Wijesiri said Premadasa had not violated parliamentary privileges or Standing Orders by raising a privilege matter, adding that he had done so with the permission of the Chair.

By Saman Indrajith

Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena yesterday ordered that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Private Secretary, Sugeeshwara Bandara be further remanded until 11 July pending investigations into allegations of criminal misappropriation of funds allocated under the Presidential Expenditure Head.

The Central Crimes Investigation Bureau arrested Bandara on June 18 and produced him before court in connection with the alleged financial irregularities.

The case was taken up before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday and the Magistrate rejected Bandara’s bail application.

Bandara is alleged to have misused public funds by drawing salaries and allowances from the Presidential Expenditure Head while simultaneously serving as former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Private Secretary and as Director of Special Projects to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the period from July 14, 2022, to December 21, 2024.