Court to be informed tomorrow regarding charges against former DIG Nalaka de Silva over assassination plot

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris today (Apr 23) informed Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake that court would be briefed tomorrow on whether charges would be filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act against former DIG Nalaka  de Silva over the alleged VIP assassination plot.

He made this remark in response to a question raised during today's hearing.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today submitted a report before court on its investigations concerning the suspected plot to assassinate the President and the former Defence Secretary.

Mr. Peris informed court that statements recorded from Nadeemal Perera, the son of singer Amal Perera, upon his deportation from Dubai have revealed that Nalaka de Silva had links with his parents. He also told court that inquiries need to be conducted based on the information received on singer Amal Perera who was deported from Dubai today.

The Magistrate, during today's hearing had granted permission to question  actor Ryan Van Rooyen who was also deported from Dubai after being arrested along with several underworld leaders including 'Makandure Madush'.

The Deputy Solicitor General also noted that Namal Kumara, Anti-Corruption Movement Operations Director who revealed the assassination plot had provided statements which contained sufficient evidence to prove an assassination plot involving DIG Prasanna Alwis.

Further, he said that a police officer who was investigating a meeting between Amal Perera and former DIG Nalaka de Silva, was transferred while also being subjected to a disciplinary inquiry.

Mr. Peiris had also told court that the Army and Air Force have been instructed to carry out an investigation into the false documents submitted by Namal Kumara with the intention of joining the security forces. He said that disciplinary action would be taken against Mr. Kumara upon conclusion of the investigations.

Deputy Solicitor General Peiris had also said that former DIG Silva, despite being a public servant, had engaged in certain telephone conversations which should not have taken place with a third-party entity.

On the same note, he added that a 31-page report on audio recordings of the telephone conversations which had taken place between Mr. de Silva and Namal Kumara was available. During these conversations, the then DIG Silva had told Mr. Kumara to engage in a mudslinging campaign through a website on State Intelligency Serivce Director Nilantha Jayawardena so that he could occupy his seat in future. Mr. Silva had told Mr. Kumara that website-related complaints are often handed over to him and he would not take measures to investigate them.

Meanwhile, attorney Ajith Pathirana representing Mr. de Silva had told court that the CID was operating in a manner which had resulted in former DIG Silva being remanded for six months without any evidence.

At the conclusion of today’s hearing, Magistrate Dissanayake while ordering ex-DIG Silva to be remanded, had informed that further court proceedings would take place on May 07.