Comments on Ulugetenne’s case triggers probe against PHU Leader:

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila has moved the Court of Appeal in a bid to prevent his arrest over views expressed regarding the remanding of former Navy Commander Admiral (retd.) Nishantha Ulugetenne. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Ulugetenne, a former Ambassador to Cuba, on 28 July, over the alleged disappearance of a person named Shantha Samaraweera on the basis of a statement given by Selvathambi Mahendran, alias Bharathi, of the LTTE.

The former Minister and Attorney-at-Law filed his application in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution. Among the six respondents are Public Security Ministry Secretary retired SDIG Ravi Seneviratne, IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya, SDIG, CID, Asanka Karawita and CID Director SSP (retd.) Shani Abeysekera.

Gammanpila has submitted the application through his power of attorney holder Kahatapitiya Kankanamalage Sandyan Nalaka Perera. The ex-lawmaker sought the Court of Appeal intervention claiming that there was a bid to remand him for a period of one year in terms of the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) Act.

The ex-Minister said that the CID had found fault with him for commenting on the arrest of Ulugetenne on the basis of a statement made by an ex-LTTE cadre. The Petitioner asserted that he has a right to comment on the propriety of an arrest under Article 14 (1) (a) of the Constitution.

Gammanpila reiterated that the separatist movement and LTTE sympathisers, living here and abroad, sought to tarnish the image of the war-winning armed forces by the arrest of Ulugetenne.

Attorney-at-Law Achala Seneviratne, on 12 August, declared that they lodged a complaint against Gammanpila over the media briefing, as well as an interview given to a Sinhala newspaper. The lawyer alleged that Gammanpila, through his actions, sought to instill fear among the witnesses in this particular case involving Ulugetenne.

The CID has informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that an investigation has been initiated to determine whether the remarks made by the former Minister amounted to an offence under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No 56 of 2007 and under Section 120 of the Penal Code. (SF)