Blast probe comes under cloud

Investigations into Friday’s suicide bomb blast which killed nine police officers and two civilians near the Presidential Secretariat have run into controversy with the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), instead of the CID or the TID, questioning an active TMVP member arrested in this connection in Trincomalee.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing a UNP meeting in Kandy yesterday asked why the investigations were handed over to the CCD instead of the CID or the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). The motorcycle the suicide bomber used in the explosion has been registered in the Eastern Province under the name of this TMVP member identified as 28-year-old Jeyabalan Janarthanan.

When asked about the opposition allegation, CCD Director A.S.P Anura Senanayaka said only a part of the investigation was being handled by the CCD while the CID and TID were also involved in the probe.

The Sunday Times learns that the suspect was arrested and brought to Colombo by CCD detectives.Mr. Janarthanan earned a living by buying and selling motorcycles and was operating from a TMVP office on Customs Road in the Trincomalee town during the election campaign for the Eastern Provincial elections.

His parents and three of his family members were also arrested and being detained in Trincomalee. Meanwhile police said the police officers who were caught in the blast were deployed there following information that UNP-SLMC supporters protesting the alleged malpractices in the May 10 eastern provincial council elections were planning to march from Maradana to the high security zone close to the President’s office.