Call to remove Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara from posts rejected

The Government today ruled out the removal of Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne and DIG (retd) Shani Abeysekara from the existing posts over allegations of negligence related to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks.

Cabinet spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath responding to questions at the post cabinet news conference said they do not accept the committee submitted by former High Court Judge Jayaki de Silva in which the allegations have been reported.

“It was a politically motivated report which was handed over five days before the Presidential elections’, he said.

He said that the Committee was appointed by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe few days after a collective of former Police officers was formed and it was politically motivated.

The response from Minister Herath came a day after former Minister Udaya Gammanpila revealed that the committee report had allegations of negligence against Seneviratne and Abeysekara. He called for the removal of the two officers from the current posts held.

Minister Herath pointed out that Seneviratne has not been found guilty of allegations of negligence in the previous cases concluded.

He said therefore there was no requirement to remove the two officers from their existing posts.