News

Police Spokesman tells PCoI detention of terror suspects should be decided by a DIG instead of court

Published

5 years ago

2020/11/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

… stresses need for new law to govern intelligence agencies

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Police spokesman, DIG Ajith Rohana, on Saturday, told the PCoI probing the Easter Sunday attacks that the power to issue detention orders for suspects arrested on terrorism-related activities should be given to a DIG instead of a court of law. He said that there was a dire need for a new law governing the activities of intelligence agencies.

Giving evidence before the PCoI for the third day, the Police Spokesman said that suspects arrested for terrorism, related offences should be questioned at least for six months. Rohana, who was on the committee that provided inputs for the Counter Terrorism Act (CTA) proposed by the previous administration, was called before the PCoI to ascertain his opinions on the existing laws on terrorism and religious extremism and the steps that should be taken to curb such activities.

The representative of the Attorney General’s Department that led the evidence asked Rohana what the most important aspects to be considered were when extending detention orders for terror suspects.

“Usually, we go before a Magistrate to get detention orders or to get an extension. My personal opinion is that a DIG must be given the power to extend detention orders. There is no problem with establishing a supervisory body to monitor this. A Magistrate who operates in an area where terrorism or religious extremism is rife is somewhat unsafe. Pressure can be exerted on the Magistrate. But since the investigators are trained, armed and are in camps they have no such worries. The Magistrate or the Human Rights Commission can see the suspects once a month.”

The police spokesman added that authorising a DIG to extend detention orders would be helpful to investigators.

Chairman of the PCoI then asked DIG Rohana for his proposals on granting bail for those arrested for terrorist activities. “I don’t think such a person should be granted bail before a year has elapsed. If bail is granted before a year, the AG’s advice must be sought. If a suspect is to be given bail after a year, a high court should do that. I am making these suggestions based on the complexity of terrorism these days.”

The Chairman asked, “There have been instances where politicians contact policemen regarding bail for suspects. Doesn’t this obstruct justice?”

The DIG said: Certainly, politicians do such things, and don’t think about the impact of such action on the country. According to the Penal Code, preventing the enactment of justice and hiding evidence are offences.

Chairman: “Tell me, based on your experience, who should be entrusted with investigating a group of extremists in a particular area? The police station there or officers from a central location?”

“Even now this is being done by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID.) There is a DIG in charge of the TID. I think such investigations must be directed centrally but sub divisions must be established provincially. We also need laws governing intelligence operations, this is a good way to strengthen these mechanisms,” DIG Rohana said.

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News

Cabinet approves construction of new 300 bed Base Hospital in Deniyaya

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.

The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.

News

Cabinet nod to legally empower methodology for implementing the ‘Praja Shakthi’ poverty alleviation national movement

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to legally empower the implementation of ‘Praja Shakthi’ (Strength of the Community) poverty alleviation national movement

News

NPP not under Indian pressure to hold PC polls – JVP

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tilvin Silva

…preliminary work started on new Constitution

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva yesterday (17) maintained that the NPP government was not under Indian pressure to hold the long delayed Provincial Council elections.

The top JVP official said so appearing on Sirasa Pathikada, anchored by Asoka Dias. Tilvin Silva said that neither the devolution nor terrorism issues had been discussed during his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, in New Delhi. This was Tilvin Silva’s first visit to India.

Declaring that politics hadn’t been on the agenda, the JVPer said that the Indian focus was entirely on economic development and technology.

The JVP General Secretary visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme from 5-12 February 2026. General Secretary Silva was accompanied by Kitnan Selvaraj, MP, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, MP, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP’s Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage and Member of JVP’s International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Responding to another query, Tilvin Silva said that Dr. S. Jaishankar had reiterated that India would always remain a true and trusted partner for Sri Lanka, in accordance with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR.’

Referring to the second JVP insurrection in the late 1980s, the JVPer claimed that they had not been against India but responded to the actions of the then Indian government.

Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the wake of the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987 to pave the way for Provincial Councils.

Tilvin Silva said that since they came to power, Indo-Sri Lanka relations had changed. “India has realised we could work together,” he said.

The JVP official said that preliminary work was underway, regarding the formulation of a new Constitution. The abolition of executive presidency and creation of an Office of President sans executive powers, too, would be addressed, he said, adding that the strengthening of the legislature was the other issue at hand.

Pointing out that the NPP had 2/3 majority in Parliament and could introduce a new Constitution on their own, Tilvin Silva said that they intended to obtain views of all and study the past processes in a bid to secure consensus. The JVP, as the party that campaigned against the introduction of executive presidency, way back in 1978, would lead the current effort to do away with the existing Constitution, he said.

Tilvin promised that they would implement what was in their manifesto.

The interviewer also raised the issue of abolishing the pensions for ex-Presidents. Tilvin Silva said that the Supreme Court, too, had approved the move to abolish pensions to ex-MPs. Therefore there was no issue with that, however, the ex-Presidents pensions couldn’t be done away with as they were made through the Constitution. That would be addressed when the government introduced a new Constitution in consultation with other stakeholders.

By Shamindra Ferdinando