9 April 2021 09:38 pm
Mayor of Jaffna Visvalingam Manivannan who was arrested by the Jaffna police was released on bail after being produced before the Jaffna Magistrate yesterday, the police said.
Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said the Mayor had released on two personnel bail of Rs. 200,000 each by the Magistrate.
Mayor Manivannan was arrested yesterday morning for allowing five of the municipal council's men to wear uniforms similar to the ones the de facto LTTE policemen used to wear during the conflict, the Police said.
The Mayor was arrested in connection with offences of the Prevention under Terrorism Act (PTA), according to the gazette notification published on August 11, 2011.
Police investigations revealed that the five men attached to the Jaffna Municipal Council, were deployed in Jaffna town to perform police duties, he said.
"The Jaffna police were alerted about the five men and their outfit. The Jaffna Police and Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) conducted investigations into this and it was disclosed that the uniforms worn by the five men were similar to the ones worn by the de facto LTTE cops during the war," he said.
Jaffna police and the TID recorded statements from the Municipal Commissioner and the five men.
It is understood that the Jaffna Mayor granted permission to recruit these men with the so-called uniforms.
According to the PTA, promoting LTTE or its ideology is prohibited. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)