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NPC orders inquiry into STF Chief’s remarks threatening the media
The National Police Commission (NPC) has ordered an inquiry into the remarks made by Special Task Force (STF) Commandant- Deputy Inspector General(DIG) of Police Ranjith Perera, threatening the media.
NPC Secretary, Ariyadasa Cooray said they were awaiting a report from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) about the STF Chief’s remarks at a Press conference.
Mr. Cooray said the STF Chief is currently on an extension of service, and keeping with a recent Cabinet decision not to extend the services of Police officers who reach retirement age, the STF Chief will have to retire by the end of this month.
The IGP had earlier ordered Senior DIG (Administration ) Gamini Nawaratne to conduct an inquiry into the STF Chief’s remarks.
SDIG Nawaratne told the Sunday Times that the inquiry was under way and its report will be handed over to the IGP by end of next week.
He said statements have already been recorded from journalists who covered the Press conference, as well as of DIG Perera. The recordings of the Press conference has also been collected.
The STF Chief made the remarks at a Press conference summoned to brief the media about the STF’s role in the recent detection of 80 kg of cocaine in a container at a Customs warehouse in Orugodawatta.
“There are drug traffickers and the underworld who buy over media persons and write against us. We know how to punish them like we deal with the underworld,” he had said.
“Why isn’t anything written against the Army, Navy or the Air Force. Because, if you write anything against them they will send a team and break your hands and legs. We do not do that,” he had said.
A day after the remarks were made, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajith Rohana (now DIG) said the STF Chief was not authorised to speak to the media, and on behalf of the IGP, they were apologising over the STF Chief’s comments.