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Death
threats from Lankan mission This follows initial investigations, with the help of the Interpol based in France, revealing that calls threatening him with death, originated from the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi. Police suspect the call had been made by a staffer without the knowledge of senior diplomats in the High Commission. Prof. Chandrasekeran's forensic expertise helped make a significant breakthrough in the inquiry into the murder of late Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation that conducted the case turned to his help to examine important documents. He is a principal witness in a case where former Army Spokesman Sumedha Perera, former Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, Bandula Wijesinghe and Sarath Wijewardena, a caretaker, are indicted before Colombo High Court Judge Rohini Perera. They are charged with forging documents to take possession of a land and property in Rajagiriya owned by Frederick Wimaladharma Obeysekera, a one-time Chairman of the Kotte Urban Council. As the CID probe continues in New Delhi, the State Counsel who is prosecuting in the same case, S. Thurairajah, has now complained to Attorney General K.C. Kamalasabeyson and Solicitor General C. R. de Silva that he was himself receiving death threats. He also brought this fact to the notice of the High Court judge this week in open court. Mr. Thurairajah said that on two occasions he received telephone calls where callers were abusive. They wanted him to withdraw from the case or face the consequences. On another occasion, when he was driving home in his car, he had been followed by a three wheeler. Near Thimbirigasyaya, this three-wheeler with a driver and another had tried to bring his vehicle to a halt by obstructing his vehicle. He had, however, sped away. On another occasion, an unidentified motor cyclist had overtaken his vehicle and tried to bring his car to a halt. When he avoided it, a jeep with suspicious characters had banged on his vehicle but he had managed to get away. Unknown persons had also been making their presence felt near his house. On March 14, Mr. Thurairajah told Judge Rohini Perera that he had received death threats over his appearance as the state counsel in the case of forgery. He said it was the investigators who were early victims. Then came the Judges and it was now the State Counsel, he pointed out. The threat on Prof. Chandrasekeran was made after the prosecution called for a report from him to decipher the hand-writing. When he was in Sri Lanka to study documents, he was provided 24-hour Ministrial Security Division protection in view of his high-profile status. |
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