Podi Lassie files FR challenging his continuous detention

Organized criminal Janith Madushanka alias ‘Podi Lassie’ and his mother yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court challenging Podi Lassie's continuous detention under Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

The petitioners are also seeking an order directing the authorities to release Podi Lassie from the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).THE petitioners cited Inspector General of Police (IGP), the CID and the Attorney General (AG) as respondents in the petition.

The petitioners alleged that the continuous detention of Podi Lassie without naming him as a suspect or without reporting of facts against him constitutes a violation of his rights to equality.

The Petitioners state that Podi Lassie had been arrested in or around 2015 on the suspicion of being involved with the murder of one Manoj Mendis and the said matter

is presently heard before the Magistrates’ Court of Galle. The petitioners stated that there are seven other cases being heard against Podi Lassie at Balapitiya, Galle and Colombo Magistrate's Courts.

They further said in all these cases, Podi Lassie had been granted bail however he remained in remand prison in respect of several cases where bail has not been furnished as he was unable to satisfy the conditions of bail.

The Petitioners state that Podi Lassie has a reasonable apprehension of a threat to his life as ‘Tharaka Perera alias Kosgoda Tharaka’ upon being detained under the same circumstances was shot dead by officers of the police on May 13,2021 purportedly in an encounter with the Police during the course of an investigations to reveal hidden weapons. Podi Lassie is currently being detained at Boossa Prison.

This petition had been filed through Attorney-atlaw Amindika Rathnayake.(Lakmal Sooriyagoda)