While the CID has started questioning DIG Vass Gunawardena on an alleged murder of a businessman last month, an application has been filed before the Appeal Court seeking a justification from the former Attorney General as to why he failed to indict the DIG for allegedly abducting Malabe IT university student Nipuna Ramanayake and assaulting him.
The petition had been filed by the family members of the student in the Appeal Court seeking a writ order on the Attorney General to justify the decision as to why he had failed to indict DIG Gunawardena who was an SSP at the time of the incident. The decision not to indict the senior police officer had been made by former Attorney General Mohan Peiris who is also the present Chief Justice. The petitioners also had asked for an order from the Appeal Court to direct the AG to produce all investigation records pertaining to the investigation against DIG Gunawardena, his family members and dozens of policemen under him. The case is to be supported for the first time on June 25.
Meanwhile the fundamental rights application filed by Nipuna Dhanushka Ramanayake of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) against DIG Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Gunawardena and wife Shyamali P. Perera and others is to be taken up before the Supreme Court today, June 11.
The Supreme Court had earlier granted leave to proceed in the rights petition relating to the alleged assault of a technology student by police personnel and members of the family of an SSP.
In his petition, Ramanayake had claimed that on or about August 21, 2009 he was abducted by armed policemen who came in a police Jeep (number plate No GC-0343) where he was blindfolded and assaulted inhumanly. Later Vass Gunawardena’s son Ravindu Gunawardena too had got into the jeep and assaulted Ramanayake with the butt of a revolver. Thereafter he was taken to the Gunawardena residence, in Dehiwala, where he claims he was further assaulted by Gunawardena’s wife, Shyamali P. Perera. Mr. Ramanayake told court that the woman even had said if she had known “beggars like this attended the SLIIT”, she would never have sent her son to the same school.
Citing a large number of policemen an the IGP as respondents, Ramanayake sought a compensation of Rs. 100 million from them.
(Susitha R. Fernando)