News
Immigration DG remanded till January for contempt of court
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
The Director General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration Harsha Ilukpitiya was ordered to be remanded in custody by the Supreme Court on Wednesday over his failure to implement the court’s interim order in relation to e-visa services.
The SC had earlier issued an interim order suspending the Cabinet decision to grant the contract for e-visa services to two foreign companies. The court also ordered reactivation of the previous Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) handled by SLT-Mobitel.
However, contempt of court charges were filed against the Immigration Controller General after he failed to implement the SC’s interim order to revert to the previous system. Accordingly, a three-judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Achala Wengappuli and Kumudini Wickramasinghe ordered him to be remanded till January 22, when the case is due to be taken up again.
Eight petitioners including former MPs M A Sumanthiran, Rauff Hakeem and Patali Champika Ranawaka had filed complaints accusing Mr Ilukpitiya of being in contempt of court over his failure to implement the court’s interim order.
Mr Ilukpitiya had plead not guilty to the charges against him. His lawyer Faiz Musthapha, PC, informed the Court that his client did not willfully fail to comply with the court’s interim order. He said his client had attempted multiple times to implement the order but that practical and technical difficulties prevented its execution. However, he assured the court that the order would be carried out within a week.
M A Sumanthiran PC representing the petitioners, however, told court that the accused was in contempt of court through his statements.
Additional Solicitor General Viveka Samarasinghe, appearing for the Attorney General, asked the court to grant her more time to obtain further instructions as both the Government and the Cabinet had changed.
Justice Surasena, who is presiding over the three-judge bench, said that the SC is the highest court of the land and it cannot stay silent when an order it issued is not being implemented.
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