Severe pressure on Prez, CJ to probe Ranjan’s calls

Several government ministers are continuing to call for a Presidential Commission and a Judicial Commission to probe the leaked telephone conversations of UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayaka.

They point out that those involved in tampering with the judiciary and police investigations during the previous government should be punished.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and some senior ministers are reported to have discussed with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa the appointment of a special presidential commission with the President responding that he would seek legal advice on this matter.

Ministers have also urged the Chief Justice to appoint a special commission to probe the telephone conversations as the names of some members of the judiciary had been mentioned in the conversations.

Government spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella told Daily Mirror that the Chief Justice and IGP should initiate an immediate independent probe against all those involved from their departments as the trust in the judiciary and police had been severely shaken following Ranjan's conversations.

"Once the authenticity of these conversations are verified, all those involved must be immediately interdicted," he said. "Immediate action must be taken as the UNP feel that justice will be meted out by ousting Ranjan from the party. However all those involved must be interdicted."

According to reports some 121,000 telephone conversations are currently in CID custody and a probe into it is already underway.

The Prime Minister told newspaper editors on Thursday, that the Chief Justice should initiate action regarding the serious breach of confidence in the judiciary following the revelations made in Ranjan's telephone conversations, who openly discusses impending judgments and ongoing investigations with judges and police investigating officers. (JAMILA HUSAIN)