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Pujith: Sirisena interfered with police transfers

Published

5 years ago

2020/09/24

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former President Maithripala Sirisena had interfered with transferring of senior police officers from 2018 although an independent Police Commission was established, through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara yesterday informed Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Jayasundara said that towards the latter part of the previous government, there had been confusion in many spheres, and that had prevented them from taking key decisions on national security.

The ex-IGP said that he had been asked not to attend the National Security Council (NSC) meetings in October 2018 and that led to serious issues.

“I was aware that an NSC meeting was to be held on October 23, 2018. Usually, I was informed of such events or on the same morning. I didn’t get a call and I called former Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne to ask whether there was an NSC meeting scheduled for that day. He said President Sirisena had asked him not to invite me. That was very upsetting,”

Jayasundara said he had been invited to the NSC meeting on November 03, 2018 and on that day Sirisena had asked him to transfer former CID Inspector Nishantha Silva because he was handling a case against then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne and some Army officers.

President Sirisena had asked him to transfer Silva from the CID, but realising that it would lead to an uproar, he had attempted to dissuade Sirisena. He said he had informed Sirisena that former IP Nishantha Silva had faced no prior disciplinary action.

“The President agreed but he didn’t change his mind. Then, he left the country and a few days later former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando called me and said that President Sirisena wanted me remove former IP Nishantha Silva immediately. I then transferred Silva to the Negombo Police station. I also submitted a report to the Police Commission informing that the decision had been at an NSC meeting.”

Jayasundara said Sirisena had asked him after returning from overseas who had ordered the transfer of IP Silva to the Negombo police station. He said he had told the President: “Sir, it was you who instructed me. He got very annoyed and said he had never such an order and disconnected the line.”

The Commissioners asked Jayasundara whether his absence from the NSC had had any impact on national security. Jayasundara said he had not been informed of what transpired at the NSC and that the fact that another senior officer of the Police was invited to the NSC had upset him.

Jayasundara said that the conflict between President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had become a serious concern and that when both of them gave contradictory orders, he had chosen to follow presidential directives.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Easter Sunday attacks: Govt. says wife of Katuwapitiya Church bomber alive

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sara Jasmine

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday that information uncovered during ongoing investigations indicated that Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sara Jasmine, linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, was not dead.

Responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Mujibur Rahuman, the Minister said there was no confirmation that Sara Jasmine was currently in India, despite speculation to that effect. He added that investigators suspected she may have fled the country and stressed that further inquiries were underway to establish her whereabouts.

“If necessary, the government will take steps to obtain a warrant,” Wijepala said, noting that legal action related to the Easter attacks had already been initiated, based on available evidence.

Minister Wijepala said the new government had launched an thorough probe to determine whether a political or other conspiracy had been behind the attacks that killed more than 270 people in 2019. However, he declined to disclose certain details in Parliament, citing the risk of hampering investigations.

Sara Jasmine, Mohammed Hashtun, who bombed St. Sebastian’s Church, in Katuwapitiya, in 2019, was long presumed to have died in a suicide blast in Sainthamaruthu, days after the attacks. Wijepala said attempts by previous administrations to establish her death had failed, with recent reports indicating that DNA tests conducted at the time were inconclusive.

During the debate, MP Rahuman recalled that senior figures, including then-Opposition MP Nalinda Jayatissa, had previously claimed Sara Jasmine was in India. He questioned why authorities had not sought an open warrant for her arrest whether the issue had been raised in talks with Indian officials.

Wijepala, responding on behalf of Deputy Minister of Defence Arun Jayasekara, said the government would not hesitate to pursue legal action, including warrants, if necessary.

By Saman Indrajith

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Indian Army Chief here

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

BIA staff welcoming Chief of the Indian Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, who arrived here yesterday (07)

The Chief of the Indian Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (07). On arrival, the COAS was accorded a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lanka Army.

The Indian HC said that: “He will engage with senior military and civil leadership, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Deputy Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary; and hold detailed discussions on matters of mutual interest, including training cooperation, capacity building and regional security.

During the visit, the COAS will address officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) and interact with officers and trainees at the Army War College, Buttala, reflecting India’s strong commitment to defence education and professional military exchanges with Sri Lanka.

General Dwivedi will also pay homage at the IPKF War Memorial, honouring the supreme sacrifice of Indian soldiers.”

General Dwivedi arrived here from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he attended several events during 05 to 06 January.