"I have 1,24,000 voice recordings with me" -- Ranjan says in court

"I have 1,24,000 voice recordings with me" -- Ranjan says in court

On the occasion when the incident regarding Mp Mr. Ranjan Ramanayaka had spoken to three judges and created an influence was called for hearing yesterday in court once again, Ranjan was present dressed in a coat. 

Any person who uses his powers and status and engages in telephone conversations with judges is tantamount to an influence made on the judges as well as the entire judiciary which is a sorry state of
affairs -- senior attorney at law, Mr. Janaka Bandara said in the presence of Nugegoda additional magistrate, Mr. A.U.K. Pelpola yesterday (29). Officer in charge of Colombo crime division, chief inspector of police, Mr. Neville de Silva presented a further report in connection with this incident yesterday and senior attorney at law, Mr. Janaka Bandara who appeared on behalf of attorney general said that inquiries about this incident has so far is not disadvantageous and that inquiries are continuing. 

Though securing samples of voice cuts of suspect Mp was expected to be secured by his government analyst lst 23rd, because of a technical fault of government analyst office, it was not available to be presented on that day, the senior state counsel exclaimed. He went on to say that according to the analysis already carried out, suspect Mr. Ramanayaka, it was revealed heen has had conversations with several judges on twenty occasion and that recordings with various people had been done since 2008 and if anybody makes some influence on judiciary matters of any sort, it is a grave mistake committed on the judiciary and that whether the suspect is a coconut plucker or person who wields his powers is not at all relevant to court and that within the framework of concerned, focus on this incident should be directed to by court. 

He then said that the suspect making an influence on those available to give evidence would be a serious issue where the entire court system is concerned. He next said that if any person was to have discussions with judges over the phone using his status and powers to his advantage is an influence made on the judges as well as a very sorry state of affairs. He also said such circumstances prevailing is a risky situation and that it is the responsibility of the judiciary to curb such a situation without it going ahead further and to safeguard the sovereignty of the judiciary and if a situation arises where the law is given scant respect, it should be cleansed. 

The counsel then said that according to inquiries and analysis so far carried out and evidence available, there are allegations against the suspect and that investigations to be done in the future in that respect, there is a possibility of further cases against the suspect. State counsel Mr. Wasantha Bandara further told court that inquiries are continuing further and if he is given bail, it could make an impact on inquiries in progress and therefore to remand him and to issue an order to direct him to the government analyst to obtain his voice cut samples. 

President's counsel Mr. Neville Abeyratna who appeared on behalf of Mr. Ranjan Ramanayaka told courts that his client, Mr. Ramanayaka is not  

a criminal and that it has not been revealed that he has engaged in any offence previously or was involved in such a matter. He further mentioned that what attorney general's department and crime division told court that his client if given bail would be an obstruction to investigation matters in progress ... cannot be accepted; that he never avoided court at any time and was not someone who forwarded sick reports and got admitted to hospital and that he has not on any occasion made any influence on those who were to give evidence. He further mentioned that on occasions he had conversations with other judges it does not appear that he has made any influence on those judges. He finally added that investigating officers have by now finished securing evidence from those judges as well as employees of his client's office and what needs be obtained are samples of voice cuts and that by granting bail to the suspect there would be no interference to investigations in this incident. 

President's counsel, Mr. Neville Abeyratna providing information on behalf of the suspect told court that his client is able to provide voice cut samples even by spending all seven days at government analyst's office and that this incident is not a serious one and therefore to make any order to provide any form of bail to suspect under any bail condition.

After lawyers on both sides placed their arguments to court, Mr. Ranjan Ramanayaka who was in the dock exclaimed, "My Lord ... please allow me to make a statement" and said that he is a genuine person and that a certain private rupavahini channel has distorted a voice recording of his and is engaged in broadcasting it across their channel. 

He further mentioned that there are one lakh twenty four thousand voice cuts in his possession and that whenever he visits parliament anybody could meet him and speak to him and that by using his Mp privileges he has not made any influence on any person. Mr. Ramanayaka then said from the dock that he did not speak to the judges but that it was the judges who spoke to him. The magistrate mentioned in the presence of lawyers that the suspect says that such statements make an impact on him. 

Chief inspector of police of Colombo crime division, Mr. Neville de Silva and others appeared on behalf of the prosecution while a team of attorneys at law inclusive of Wasantha Ranasingha, Asha Kahawattha, Udul Premaratna and Ruwani Wijeysingha appeared on behalf of the suspect.

- Photograph by Kumudu Upul Shantha; Nuwan Amarawansha -