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Police probe whether Dutch monk committed suicide or was killed

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bY SURESH PERERA

The Dutch monk whose body was found in the lagoon at Ratgama is suspected to have committed suicide though it is still too early to determine the exact circumstances which led to his death as investigations continue, a high-ranking police official said.

There is no indication so far that the 59-year-old monk, Ven. Olande Jinarathana Thera, had been killed, senior DIG Rohan Silva in charge of the Southern province said on Friday.

“Initial investigations point to suicide but we need to probe further to put the pieces together”, he said.

The postmortem examination conducted at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital revealed that the monk had been alive at the time he was in the

water (of the lagoon), the senior police officer said. “However, we need to further ascertain the circumstances surrounding the prelate’s death”.

An open verdict was returned at the magisterial inquiry into the Dutch monk’s death.

Asked whether two stones found wired to the monk’s legs aroused suspicion that he may have been killed and his body dumped in the lagoon, as speculated in some quarters, senior DIG Silva replied, “yes, two stones were found tied to his legs. That’s why we need to investigate further to determine the circumstances of his death”.

He said that several police teams have been deployed to probe the Dutch monk’s death.

The monk was reported missing from the temple for some days before his body was found floating in the lagoon, police said.

No arrests have been made so far.

Ven. Olande Jinarathana Thera, had come to Sri Lanka about eight years ago from The Netherlands and engaged in meditation at the Polgasduwa Temple in Ratgama.

Police are also expected to record the statements of 13 Buddhist monks who resided at the Temple as well as from devotees who had associated with the late prelate.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed IGP C. D. Wickramaratne to conduct an immediate comprehensive investigation into the death of the monk.

The Prime Minister’s media division said the IGP has deployed several police squads including a CID team to investigate the death of the Dutch monk. The IGP is expected to brief the Prime Minister on the progress of the investigation.



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SJB, JVP move SC against Finance Secy. for contempt of court

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The main Opposition, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday (21) moved Supreme Court against Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana over his failure to provide funds required by the Election Commission to conduct the Local Government polls, ignoring an interim order issued by the apex court, on 03 March.

Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, is the petitioner for the SJB and Vijitha Herath, MP, moved court on behalf of the JVP, the leading party in the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB).

Two Opposition parties declared action against Siriwardana the day after the Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Finance Secretary to release the funds.

EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa is on record as having said that in spite of SC directive he didn’t receive fresh funding.

The petitioners sought the issuance of summons on Siriwardana for contempt of court over failure to carry out its interim orders, given on 03 March.

The petitioners want the Finance Secretary punished in terms of Article 105 (3) of the Constitution.

The SJB stated that Siriwardana had refrained from carrying out the March directives, on the basis of a Cabinet decision, taken on 13 Feb., 2023. The SJB also pointed out that the offensive conduct of the Treasury Secretary, inter alia, causes grave prejudice to the esteemed authority of the Supreme Court and in turn disturb the public confidence in the authority of the highest Court in the country. (SF)

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Minister indicates reduction in fuel prices in April

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Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament yesterday that fuel prices would be reduced considerably according to the fuel price formula at the next fuel price revision, due in April.

The Minister said that the government would be able to procure fuel shipments, at lower prices, during competitive bidding, with the receipt of the IMF bailout.

There had been practical issues, and problems, in opening Letters of Credit, and obtaining credit facilities, in the recent past, as Sri Lanka could not give a guarantee to fuel suppliers, Minister Wijesekara said.

“We could not open LCs and obtain credit facilities when procuring fuel. After the IMF bailout, we will be able to procure fuel at lower prices during competitive biddings. We will be able to obtain a long-term credit facility as well. Fuel prices in the global market seem to have declined and the rupee has also gained strength against the US Dollar. Having considered all these factors, fuel prices will be reduced by a considerable margin which could be felt by the people,” he said.

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IGP tells CID not to brook any interference from any quarter while they probe ’Harak Kata’ and ‘Kudu Salindu’

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By Norman Palihawadane

IGP CD Wickramaratne has directed the CID to maintain a special log of names and details of any attempts by external parties to influene the ongoing investigations on notorious drug traffickers Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne aka Harak Kata and Salindu Malshika aka Kudu Salindu.

The suspects are currently under the custody of the CID.

The IGP issued the orders to the DIG CID and its director during a meeting of senior police officers on Monday, police headquarters said.

Sources said that the IGP has further instructed not to allow statements from the detainees to be taken by any police team other than the team currently investigating the suspects.

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