Expedite probe on arrested Tamils:SC

The Supreme Court directed the Attorney General to expedite the investigations regarding the arrest of Tamils after the bomb blast in Nugegoda, consequent to the Ceylon Workers Congress filing a fundamental rights petition against the unlawful arrest and detention of Tamil citizens.

The CWC had cited Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the Navy Commander, the Army Commander, IGP Victor Perera and the OICs of Minuwangoda, Kirulapona, Bambalapitiya and Pettah police stations and the Attorney General as respondents.

Attorney M.A Sumandiram who appeared for the petitioner said the arrest was purely based on ethnicity as all those arrested were of Tamil origin. He stated that the unlawful arrest and detention was an infringement of their fundamental rights. He further said that at the time of arrest they were not informed why they were being arrested.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N Silva and Justices Raja Fernando and Gamini Amaratunge directed the Attorney General to expedite the investigations of the 83 detainees at the Boossa camp within one week and the investigations of the 257 detainees held at several police stations be completed within two weeks.

The Judges further directed that if there were any detainees still in custody they should be produced in Court and investigations be completed on them in the shortest possible time. The Court suggested that a committee should be set up in the near future to monitor any arrests of this nature.