Gotabaya's motion to travel to Singapore, avoiding the Easter case, was rejected

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today informed the Fort Magistrate's Court that several other special investigations have been launched parallel to the ongoing investigations making former Director of Intelligence Suresh Sallay a suspect in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attack. Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department before Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara, revealed facts regarding the direction of these new investigations.

He mentioned that strong attention was paid to the statements made in open court by the three convicts, Milhan, Rizkan, and Zeinul Abdeen, at the time of their sentencing by a three-member High Court recently, in relation to the main lawsuit of the Easter attack. Accordingly, the Magistrate granted permission for the Additional Solicitor General's request to record further statements from them based on those declarations.

It was revealed in court that this investigation network has also extended to several other political figures. The Criminal Investigation Department had previously recorded statements from former Minister Douglas Devananda and Sankar, who was involved in political activities of the EPDP party. Although information has been revealed that Hansir Azad Moulana, considered the main witness in this investigation, was introduced to the Karuna faction and the Pillayan faction by Douglas Devananda, Dileepa Peiris pointed out to the court that he had denied those facts and concealed information when giving his statement. He further stated that they are considering the steps to be taken against Douglas Devananda in this regard. In addition, a special investigation has been launched regarding the issuance of a diplomatic passport to Karuna Amman, and the necessary orders to obtain the relevant documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also obtained today.

Meanwhile, attention was also drawn to a motion filed in court by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is not a suspect in the case, through lawyer Sanath Wijewardena. He had requested that his travel ban be relaxed to attend necessary medical examinations after a heart surgery previously performed at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. However, the Magistrate pointed out that the Registrar had rejected it because the relevant motion did not specify a date. Nevertheless, the Additional Solicitor General stated that he had also received a copy of the request and that if the relevant request is formally submitted, they are prepared to consider it on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment.

Although lawyer Swasthika Arulingam today requested the court to release the first suspect in the case, the Magistrate pointed out that since he had previously issued an order regarding it, the request could be made by submitting a revision application to the High Court. At the end of the hearing, the Magistrate inquired about the progress of the investigations concerning former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. To this, Dileepa Peiris replied that, according to him, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a powerful individual relevant to this case, but the Criminal Investigation Department will act on the basis of evidence revealed by the investigations. Further submissions in the case were postponed until November 25.