Tangalle Magistrate orders TID Director to appear in courts

The Tangalle Magistrate Court today ordered the Director of Terrorist Investigation Division(TID) to appear in courts on October 28th for not reporting facts about the two IUSF leaders Wasantha Mudalige and Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, who are being detained under the PTA for 90 days.

Magistrate Hemantha Pushpakumara made this order following the facts reported by the Attorney representing the two detainees, who are being held in TID custody for more than two months.

Attorney Nuwan Bopage representing the two detainees IUSF Convener Mudalige and IUSF Bhikkhu front leader Galwewa Siridhamma Thera through a motion submitted to the courts brought the present condition of the detainees to the magistrate’s notice.

Bopage told the media outside the courts yesterday that although the TID was supposed to report facts to the courts on behalf of the two detainees who were being held captive at a detention centre in Tangalle, the latter had not done it so far.

It has transpired at the court that although the TID took the detainees to Tangalle in the beginning, the detainees had later been brought to a facility at the TID head office in Narahenpita, where are they are being detained for the past one month’s period.

It was also reported that Mudalige is presently suffering from a severe rash without medication provided by the TID officials and Siridhamma Thera was admitted to Colombo National Hospital on Tuesday with high fever which was later found out to be dengue.

Bopage further said the TID is detaining the IUSF activists under the repressive acts of the government with no charges against them and that they will move to take further legal action for the gross violation of their fundamental rights.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the CNH told the Daily Mirror that Siridhamma Thera is being treated at Ward 49 diagnosed with dengue and his condition was known to be fairly stable as of last evening. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana and Chandrasena Gamage – Ranna)