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The
saga of the 'abducted' monk
The Police sources said the monk was not in position to make a statement and thereby clear all the allegations of abduction as they maintain there is "strong evidence of abduction". Ven. Kathaluwe Rathanaseeha Thera residing at Sambudha Temple at Rawatawatte in Moratuwa was allegedly abducted around 8:30 pm last Monday (May 17) by a group of about 15 people including some Buddhist Monks alleged to be members of the JHU . Somadasa Gammanpila, the 55-year-old personal aide of the Thera said that around 8 pm, about five men and ten monks arrived at the temple and claimed that the Thera had asked them to meet him. Somadasa said he told them that the Thera had gone to deliver a sermon and asked them to wait. Around 8:15 pm the Thera had arrived and had spoken to the group. They had then turned violent and started shouting at the monk and calling him a traitor, Somadasa claimed. He said when he tried to stop them taking the monk away, a monk had aimed three blows at him. They then carried the Thera and put him into the van. He had noted down the number of the van and also noticed it belonged to a Cab service. Somadasa said he had then called the Moratuwa Police and reported the abduction. He had also informed some neighbours that the Thera had been abducted. In the meantime, Ratnayake, the Thera’s driver, upon seeing the commotion, had come to the Moratuwa Police Station to lodge a complaint. Ratnayake said Inspector Anura de Silva arrived at the temple and asked Somadasa to go to the Police Station and make a statement. Somadasa charged that the Police had failed to take prompt action and the police had accused him of being involved in the plot to abduct the Thera. He said the abductors had also taken away his diary, cell phone and a bunch of keys. He said he was a graduate of the Colombo University and before coming to work for Ven. Rathanaseeha Thera in April 27, he had worked as an administrative officer at the University of Colombo and as an inventory officer at the Nawaloka hospital. The JHU vehemently denied Government allegations that the JHU had abducted the monk. Meanwhile, Moratuwa OIC Anura de Silva has been interdicted for alleged disciplinary lapses, failure to take prompt action, follow the correct procedure and failure to inform superiors. ASP Roshan Silva is also expected to be called for an inquiry. SSP Willie Abeynayake under the direction of Mirihana DIG K.P.P. Pathirana, is conducting investigations with regard to the incident. A special team under Inspector Nilabdeen of the Mount Lavinia Police Intelligence Unit is also carrying out investigations. The Sunday Times learns that driver Ratnayake and attendant Somadasa were not questioned by the Police but by the Presidential Security Division. The vehicle bearing number 61-6962, belonging to JK Cabs was taken into custody on Wednesday morning in Pamunuwa, Maharagama. The Driver had surrendered to the Mount Lavinia Police and had been detained. The Government during Wednesday's sittings in parliament said the Thera had been allegedly kidnapped and was being held at Devram Vehera in Depanama, Pannipitiya belonging to JHU national organizer Ven. Kollonawe Siri Sumangala Thera who was also the Chief Incumbent of the temple. Ven. Sumangala Thera denied these allegations. In his first public appearance since the alleged kidnapping, Ven. Rathanaseeha Thera denied he was abducted and beaten as alleged by other rebel monk Ven. Apperakke Punnyananda Thera. He also confirmed he submitted his resignation on his own accord. Ven. Kollonawe Siri Sumangala Thera speaking on behalf of the rebel monk said the latter was the assistant incumbent of the temple and also the Head of the Southern Province for the Sirsumanawansa Nikaya and its headquarters was at this Temple and he was always welcome. He said the Thera had gone into the hiding as there were threats against his life by the JVP. He said that though every MP was entitled to police protection the Thera was not provided with any security. Meanwhile, in a petition submitted to the Speaker by JHU dissident monk Ven. Apperekke Punnyananda Thera appealed not to accept the resignation of Ven. Ratanaseehe Thera. The Sunday Times learns from Police sources that if the allegation regarding the abduction is to be dropped the Thera would have to come before the police and make a personal statement. Speaking to the The Sunday Times JHU sources said that under legal advice they would not be producing the monk before the police as the JHU had lost confidence in the police and the manner in which they acted during this whole episode. As a precaution however on Thursday around 8am Ven. Kathalwe Rathanaseeha Thera had forwarded an affidavit to the IGP and the Moratuwa Magistrate, making out that he was not kidnapped and had resigned on his own accord. Around 10pm the Ven. Rathanaseeha Thera escorted by JHU members and lawyers had gone to the Maharagama Police Station where the monk in the presence of SP Udayapala had made a two-hour statement and accused the police of intensive questioning and of trying to force on him a prepared statement. SP Udayapala told The Sunday Times that the Thera had agreed to make another statement at 8 am on Friday, but did not turned up. (See box story below). The Moratuwa Police had filed a case (No. 60123) in the Moratuwa Magistrate Court, and had the cab driver remanded. JK Cabs Manager K. Ameratunga, said that 40-year-old Jagath, driver of the cab had gone to the Mount Lavinia Police Station, after being asked to make a statement but had been arrested. The driver had been unaware of any abduction. However, he had been asked by the Police to be a State Witness against the alleged abductors. Jagath had been produced to the Moratuwa Magistrate who ordered the driver to be remanded until May 24, when an identification parade is to be held. Mr. Amaratunga said it was unfair for the Police to act in such a manner even though they might be under pressure by higher authorities. On Friday evening the JHU held a sathyakriya at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation protesting against the Government's misuse of State Media and threatened to storm the SLRC with thousands of supporters and the Maha Sangha if the mud slinging was not stopped. JHU spokesperson Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera, accused the JVP of instigating the State Media Institutions to sling mud at the Maha Sangha. Police
won't drop the probe The IGP said the police probe would go ahead and they would take a decision based on a ruling by the Attorney General's Department which was studying the new developments of the case. Detectives involved in the case said they could not accept the statement the monk gave the Maharagama police on Thursday saying he was not abducted, because the monk was not in a proper frame of mind at that time. They said they wanted the monk to come on Friday and make a second statement but he did not turn up though the JHU monks who accompanied him to the police station said he would. JHU sources said the monk did not go on Friday because he felt that the police were trying to get a pre-planned statement signed by him. JHU General Secretary Ven. Uduwe Dhmmaloka Thera, told The Sunday Times that if the Police harassment of the JHU continued on the pretext of a probing the case, the party would go to courts.
JHU convention on Tuesday The mother of Late Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thera will be awarded a honourary title "Budu Puth Mau Rajina" (Queen Mother of the Sons of Buddha) and a symbolic golden crown at the ceremony. |
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