Former Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne has filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court challenging the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe incidents of political victimization.
The petitioner is seeking an order to quash the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry and the decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 18th January 2021 to implement the recommendations.
Through this petition, the former CID Chief is challenging the recommendations of PCoI to name the petitioner as a respondent after a complaint made by former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former Navy media spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake.
Petitioner states that the final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to inquire into Political Victimization was handed over to the President on December 8, 2020.
The Petitioner states that, under and in terms of the Proclamation published in Gazette (Extraordinary) bearing No. 2212/53 of 29th January 2021, the President has established the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry under Section 2 of the Special Presidential Inquiry Act No. 7 of 1978 for implementation of the Decision and Recommendation of above PCoI report.
The Petitioner states that the complaints made by Wasantha Karannagoda and D.K.P. Dasanayakeconnect to the investigations and legal proceedings carried out by the CID and the Attorney General’s Department in respect of the incident of the Disappearance and Killing of 11 young men in 2008 and 2009.
The Petitioner states that the investigations of the incident of disappearance of 11 young men have been commenced in 2009 and that the petitioner assumed duties as the Senior Deputy Inspector General, of the Criminal Investigation Department in 2012.
The Petitioner states that the task to conduct and supervise the investigation on the disappeared 11 young men was assigned to his subordinate officers namely former Director, CID (interdicted) ShaniAbeysekara (SSP) and former Inspector of Police Nishantha Silva together with the investigation officers attached to the (CID). The Petitioner states that the overall investigations were carried out by the officers attached to the CID, primarily as a part of their statutory duty as Police Officers to protect victims and promote offender accountability by consistently enforcing laws and procedures.
The Petitioner states that the progress of the investigation carried out by the CID officers about the Disappearance of 11 young men was initially reported by submitting all the evidence revealed through investigation including forensic and scientific evidence, eyewitnesses, criminal evidence, digital evidence, circumstantial evidence and other evidence to the Attorney General and thereafter with the recommendation of the Attorney General.
The petitioner stated that the investigation officers including the Petitioner did not deviate from the investigation procedures and did not insist on any undue influence towards any suspects.
The petitioner had cited the commissioners of the Presidential Commission, Cabinet of Ministers and several others as respondents.
