News
Interdiction of four cops over alleged assault: CI asks why Police Legal Division won’t represent them
…finds fault with Inspectors’ Association, too
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Inspector Linton de Silva yesterday (5) questioned the rationale in law enforcement officers interdicted over unsubstantiated accusations being deprived of assistance through the Police Legal Division.
The veteran investigator said that he was struggling to meet legal costs after he was interdicted along with three police constables on February 26, within 24 hours after a law student Migara Gunaratne accused them of assaulting him at the Kelaniya Divisional Criminal Investigation Detective Bureau located at the Peliyagoda police station.
CI de Silva also questioned how the Inspectors’ Association turned a blind eye to the plight of him and the three constables interdicted without an inquiry.
“We were denied a fair inquiry. I’m quite ashamed of the way the police reacted to unfounded accusations,” De Silva said, underscoring the need to review the entire process.
Responding to another query, the officer said that he believed the Public Security Ministry would take tangible measures in that regard.
The officer also said that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), should inquire into the case as Migara Gunaratne entered the police station identifying himself as an attorney-at-law though he was only a final year law student.
Acknowledging that there was a spate of accusations in respect of the police conduct, the investigator emphasized those being accused, too, should receive a fair hearing.
The CCD took over the controversial investigation from the SIU amidst accusations the policemen hadn’t been treated justly.
The officer emphasized that by preventing them from seeking assistance from the Police Legal Division their Department found them guilty before the conclusion of the ongoing proceedings at the Magistrate’s court (no 05) at Hulftsdorp.
According to statements recorded by the police inquiring into the incident at the Peliyagoda police station, the special unit led by CI de Silva had arrested eight persons wanted for cheating people. The arrested included four Nigerians, two Uzbekistan women and a local couple. Having obtained Detention Orders in respect of the eight, the investigators acting on the information obtained from those detained, on Feb 25 arrested three others. Their arrests led to the recovery of over Rs. 8 mn whereas investigations revealed the existence of a covert operation that facilitated the transferring of money collected here through illegitimate means to Dubai. Of the recovered money, over Rs 7.5 mn had been hidden in the ceiling. The police identified a Canada based person who played a major role in the operation.
Since the interdiction of four policemen, those arrested on Feb 25th along with money had been given bail.
CI de Silva said that the gang had duped gullible persons using social media platforms. Attorney-at-law Charitha Gunaratne had visited the Peliyagoda police station with the wife and two children of one of the suspects arrested on March 23. The lawyer’s brother, Migara, despite only being a final year law student had arrived there subsequently identifying himself as an attorney-at-law.
CI de Silva has told investigators that he rushed to the Duty Officer’s room after hearing loud noises. Duty Officer, a Sub Inspector has alleged that Migara Gunaratne handed over his hand phone to one of the Uzbek women in custody and when CI de Silva inquired why he did so and demanded that he hands over the phone immediately, the law student pushed the officer. The officers present therein had exercised their right to use force to arrest the suspect and recover the phone.
The police later produced Migara Gunaratne before Judicial medical Officer, Ragama who after having examined the law student stated that he suffered minor injury.
CI de Silva alleged that subsequently, Migara Gunaratne posted a picture of himself with a quite serious looking injury on his face. However, before the law student accompanied by police left for Ragama Hospital, a policeman had taken a picture with minor injury on his face, CI de Silva said.
Having followed proper procedures in bringing the situation to relevant authorities, the four interdicted police officers are awaiting the outcome of the investigations.
In respect of three constables, Kelaniya ASP (1) can decide to reinstate them whereas the decision on the CI rests on Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, in charge of the Western Province.
CI de Silva has initiated the investigation following instructions received from SSP Roshan Dias. SSP Dias has ordered an investigation after a young couple duped by a person to the tune of Rs. 1.4 mn after promising them USD 80,000 from a foreign party. The arrest of four Nigerians and two Uzbek women followed leading to the arrest of three more influential persons on Feb 23 and 25, respectively.
Convenor of the Samagi Joint Trade Union Alliance affiliated with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Ananda Palitha, yesterday (16) said that the Ceylon Electricity Board was seeking to raise electricity tariffs by 13.56% percent although it had earned a profit of more than Rs 22,000 mn.
The CEB recently submitted its proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for an electricity tariff revision for the second quarter of this year – the period effective from April 1 to June 30.
Palitha alleged that the PUCSL, in spite of knowing the massive profit earned by the CEB, at the expense of the hapless public, had chosen to allow the state enterprise to propose an additional burden.
The economic, technical and safety regulator of the electricity industry, and the designated regulator for petroleum and water services industries, should exercise its powers in terms of the PUCSL Act No. 35 of 2002 and the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 to provide relief, the veteran trade unionist said.
Palitha emphasised that the PUCSL had the right to intervene on behalf of electricity consumers but, unfortunately, chose to facilitate the CEB’s despicable strategy. “The proposal to increase tariffs by 13.56% was meant to divert attention. The real issue at hand is the percentage of electricity tariff reduction,” Palitha said. The former UNPer found fault with the Opposition for failing to expose the CEB.
Taking into consideration the Rs 22,000 millionplus profit, the PUCSL could order the CEB to grant relief to consumers, Palitha said, adding that the CEB and PUCSL, together, deprived electricity consumers tariff reduction in the first quarter of this year, too.
In January this year, the CEB asked for a 11.59% tariff increase though it was enjoying Rs 22,000 mn profit at that time, the trade unionist said.
Palitha said that as the PUCSL received all data available to the CEB it was fully aware of the finances of the state enterprise.
In January, 2025, regardless of the NPP government floating the idea regarding as much as a 37% tariff increase, the PUCSL granted a 20% tariff reduction (25% of Rs 22,000 mn profit), Palitha said.
According to him, as a result of relief granted to the consumers, the profits had been reduced to Rs 16,000 mn but by June 2025 profits had increased to Rs 18,000 mn and there was a need to grant tariff reduction. But, the NPP, having always lashed out at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the run up to the presidential election, held in September 2024, started playing a different tune.
Responding to The Island queries, Palitha said that contrary to claims that the CEB proposed a 13.56% tariff increase to cover up losses caused by the importation of low-quality coal for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya coal-fired power plant, the current strategy seemed to have been adopted at the behest of the IMF.
Instead of granting tariff reduction for the third quarter in 2025, the PUCSL ordered an 18% increase, Palitha said. The trade unionist claimed that the Finance Ministry, at the behest of the IMF, directed both the CEB and the PUCSL to increase electricity tariffs by 20% in violation of the relevant Acts, he said.
Then in Oct, 2025, the CEB proposed a 6.8 % tariff increase at a time its profits were around Rs 22,000 mn. The CEB and PUCSL staged a drama over that proposal and finally, on the false pretext of the CEB’s failure to furnish its proposal on time, the revision was dropped, Palitha said. The SJB activist pointed out that the Opposition failed to highlight that consumers had been deprived of downward revision in spite of massive profits earned by the Board. “In fact, when Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody met trade unions, he very clearly declared that they were considering electricity power reduction, perhaps by 10%, 12% or 15%. But in the end nothing happened.”
Now the same drama is being enacted by the government, the CEB and the PUCSL, Palitha said.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Members of the BASL yesterday (16) staged a protest march over the murder of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda, Thalangama, last week. The BASL staged a protest march from the Supreme Court Complex to the BASL Head Office.
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva arrived in Colombo yesterday (16) for top level discussions with the government. She is scheduled to leave tomorrow (18) after meeting government authorities and key stakeholders, observing firsthand the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, and discussing ways in which the IMF could support recovery efforts and contribute to building a more resilient future for all Sri Lankans, sources said.
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