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CID arrests former top military intelligence officer under PTA

Published

2 months ago

2026/02/26

Suresh Sallay

Suresh Sallay, who played a significant role in the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) during the war, has been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

DIG (Legal Division) Jaliya Senaratne yesterday told a hastily called media briefing that Sallay had been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. Senaratne said that as the ex-officer had been apprehended in terms of the PTA, he could be held for 72 hours for questioning.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested him at Peliyagoda yesterday morning. At the time of the suicide bombings, Sallay had been at the National Defence College (NDC) of India.

Sallay had been under investigation over declaration made by one Azad Maulana, in an interview with British television network Channel 4, that Sallay met the Easter Sunday bombers, including their leader Zahran Hashim, in February 2018. Responding to Maulana’s allegation, Sallay told the UK network that he had been assigned to the Sri Lankan mission, in Malaysia, during the 2016-2018 period and never left the country in 2018.

According to Sallay, he had been out of Malaysia only once, during the entire 2016-2018 period, and that was in 2017.

Maulana also accused him of meeting Pilleyan who, at that time, was held at Prison.

Pilleyan, too, was arrested in connection with the same investigation.

Following the change of government in November 2019, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Sallay head of the State Intelligence Services (SIS), a post previously held by Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena accused of the worst post-war intelligence failure.

Sallay retired in October 2024 following Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory in the presidential election. (SF)

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Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:

Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage

The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.

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Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

(File pic)

Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).

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CJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

CJ Surasena

‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’

Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.

Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.

‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.

Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.

Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.

Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.

By Shamindra Ferdinando