Alleged
assault of finance co. employees: Supreme Court gives leave to proceed
The Supreme Court granted leave to proceed in a fundamental rights
petition filed by two leasing company employees who were allegedly
assaulted by police officers.
The
petitioners Prabath Thilakaratne, a driver of the of Kalutota Investments
and Leasing Limited and Ilesingha Sunil, a vehicle seizer, cited
Sub Inspectors Rohan Wijeratna, Nadeeka Silva, OIC Jayantha Perera
and OIC Talangama Ranjith Dasanayake among others as respondents.
Mr.
Thilakaratna said that on August 10, 2005 about eight policemen
in civvies and carrying firearms got down from a vehicle and approached
Sunil’s vehicle.
He said two men pulled Sunil out of the van, made him kneel and
began to assault him.
Thilakaratna
said he, Sunil and a few of their friends were handcuffed, blindfolded
and taken in the van to an unknown destination. He claimed that
the policemen threatened to kill them.
Mr.
Thilakaratna said they were kept until August 13 and taken to the
Mirihana police station. There they were assaulted and chillie powder
thrown at their faces. He said that when they were at the Mirihana
police station Sub Inspector Wijeratna came there and claimed that
he was the registered owner of a vehicle seized by Sunil and that
they would be produced before a magistrate on a charge of possessing
offensive weapons. He said that after they were assaulted they were
shown to a doctor at the Colombo National Hospital who recommended
x-rays to be taken. The police did not take any x-rays but they
were taken to the Talangama police station.
The
petitioners state that the 1st to the 4th respondents, instigated
by the first respondent Wijeratna, have infringed their fundamental
rights guaranteed by Articles 11, 13(1) and 13(2). The petitioners
are still in remand prison.
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