Batti High Courts acquitted Pillayan & four others over assassination of Joseph Pararajasingham

The Batticaloa High Court today acquitted Parliamentarian Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan and four others over the assassination case of former TNA Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham.

Yesterday, the Attorney General (AG) informed the Batticaloa High Court that his department decided to drop the case against Pillayan and other suspects even though separate indictments were filed against them in 2017. 

After five years in custody over the assassination, former paramilitary group leader and onetime Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and four other suspects were granted bail by the Batticaloa High Court on November 24 — exactly a month before the 15th anniversary of the cold-blooded murder.

Former Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) national coordinator and Eastern provincial councilor Edwin Silwa Krishnanantharaja, K. Kanaganayagam and Army intelligence officer M. Kaleel are among other suspects. 

Mr Chandrakanthan was arrested in 2015 when he arrived at the CID to give a statement in connection with the assassination of the late Tamil politician, Joseph Pararajasingham who was shot dead on Christmas Eve in 2005.

Earlier the Court rejected the objection raised by the lawyers representing Attorney General (AG) urging the court to not to allow Mr Chandrakanthan to take part in the meetings of the District Coordinating Committee (DDC) of Batticaloa.  Governor of Eastern province Anuradha Yahampath will also function as Co-chairperson of Batticaloa DDC.