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Tamil Nadu Q Branch sets up massive search for Kanjipani Imran
Wanted drug trafficker Kanchipani Imran is on the run from Sri Lankan Authorities and the ‘Q’ Branch of the Tamil Nadu police is actively searching for whether he is hiding in Tamil Nadu. The Q Branch is one of the Criminal Investigation Department wings of the Tamil Nadu Police.
Look-out notices have been issued to all airports to prevent the criminal from fleeing abroad.The Sri Lankan government has also sought India’s help to capture Imran. The Central Intelligence Agency has also warned the Tamil Nadu government in this regard.An intensive search is being conducted in 14 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and fishing village areas.
Q Branch Officers told Indian media that its personnel are questioning several local people and fishermen to determine if Imran had sneaked into Rameswaram.
A Sri Lankan court has already ordered the guarantors for Najeem Mohammed Imran alias Kanjipani Imran to appear in court.
Kanjipani Imran, who is a leading drug trafficker in the country, had fled to India and is now preparing to enter Pakistan from there.
Imran’s mother, brother, and another individual are listed as guarantors.
Kanjipani Imran faces serious charges in Sri Lanka including murder, and he was released on a Rs. 5 Million personal bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on the 20th of December, and the court also barred him from travelling overseas.
Indian Intelligence put Tamil Nadu on High Alert following information that one of Sri Lanka’s notorious drug lords ‘Kanjipani’ Imran had entered India through the coastal Rameswaram, five days later.According to the court order, Kanjipani Imran must report to the Maligawatte Police on the last Sunday of every month, and as he failed to appear the Police had reported the matter to the court.
Sri Lanka Police said that the court issued an order on Imran’s mother, brother and another person who were listed as guarantors to appear in court at the next trial date in March 2023.
Indian media have reported that Najeem Mohammed Imran alias Kanjipani Imran, who is a leading drug trafficker in the country, had fled to India and is now preparing to enter Pakistan from there.However, the main question is, how did he fled to India after his release on bail.
Indian Intelligence put Tamil Nadu on High Alert following information that one of Sri Lanka’s notorious drug lords ‘Kanjipani’ Imran had entered India through the coastal Rameswaram.An Intelligence alert said Imran had managed to enter the coastal town on Christmas eve along with another individual.
Kanjipani Imran faces serious charges in Sri Lanka including murder, and he was released on a Rs. 5 Million personal bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on the 20th of December, and court also barred him from travelling overseas.The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday (3) raised concerns over the country’s intelligence network after notorious underworld gangster and drug lord Kanjipani Imran alias Mohammed Imran fled to India after his release on bail.
In December 2021, the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested nine Sri Lankan nationals from the special camp for refugees at Tiruchirapalli for their alleged involvement in smuggling of drugs and arms, and for their close ties to a durgs and arms peddler in Pakistan.The agency said that two of the arrested men were in regular touch with a Pakistan-based drugs and arms runner, Haji Salim, who often travelled between Dubai, Pakistan and Iran.
The Indian National Intelligence Agency says that hese men and Salim were working to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka and India.Among these nine men was Gamage Suranga Pradeep also known as Welle Suranga.He was arrested by the Police Special Task Force in Sri Lanka on the 9th of April 2019.
Interrogation of the suspect at the time revealed that he was closely liked to the now-slain underworld don Makandure Madush and Kanjipani Imran.Indian intelligence services also said that C. Gunasekaran also known as Kimbula Ele Guna, Nalin Chathuranga also known as Ladiya had maintained ties with Pakistan-based drugs and arms runner Haji Salim as well as with Kanjipani Imran.
Najeem Mohammed Imran alias Kanjipani Imran fled to Dubai from Sri Lanka using a fake passport on the 28th of March 2015. He was spending a luxurious life in Dubai, and was arrested along with Makandure Madush and other gangsters following a party at a Dubai Hotel on the 5th of February 2019.
Thereafter, Kanjipani Imran was deported to Sri Lanka and was arrested in Katunayake when he attempted to flee to the Maldives.Later, the one-time underworld don Makandure Madush was gunned down while in police custody in Sri Lanka.On the 23rd of August 2019, the Colombo High Court sentenced Kanjipani Imran to six year of rigorous imprisonment for the possession and trafficking of drugs.
Attorney Lakshman Perera who appeared for Kanjipani Imran told court that his client pleads guilty for the for the possession and trafficking charged.Accordingly the court sentenced Kanjipani Imran to six years rigorous imprisonment – three years for each charge of possession and trafficking.
Last year, he was released on bail in the case filed for threatening a police officer with death.Concerns are mounting over what happened to the remaining three year prison term, and did underworld gangster managed flee after his release on bail.
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Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68
It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68
She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
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Sallay’s wife further complains to HRC over continuing violation of husband’s FRs by CID
The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.
In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.
Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.
I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.
I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his
legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.
This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.
In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:
1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;
2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;
3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and
4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.
This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.
I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.
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SC upholds Commercial HC ruling that Weerawansa violated intellectual property rights of JVP
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.
A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.
The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.
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