20 July 2019 03:12 pm
The Acting IGP has written to the National Police Commission (NPC) yesterday saying it is not possible to remove the CID from investigating Dr. Mohammed Shafi’s case and hand it over to the Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU).
The NPC on Thursday called for a report from the Acting IGP over the possibility of removing the CID from investigating Dr. Shafi’s case.
Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera yesterday said the Acting IGP has said in his letter that the CID has launched the investigation into the case in an appropriate manner in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure Act’ s clause 125.
“The CID has informed the court in this regard and senior officials of the Attorney General's Department had appeared on behalf of the CID in court. In this context, the Acting IGP said it is not possible to take the investigation away from the CID as it would create many legal and practical issues,” SP Gunasekera said.
It was reported that an attorney had lodged a complaint with the NPC stating that investigations carried out by the CID against Dr. Shafi should be withdrawn.
The lawyer had requested in the complaint that the investigations should be handed over to a Special Investigation Unit which should comprise police teams from the CID, the Kurunegala Police and the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD).
Accordingly, the NPC earlier inquired from the Acting IGP about the possibility of handing over the investigations to the SIU. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)