Police anticipate “interference” in Raviraj murder probe
November 16th, 2006
[TransCurrents News Service]
In a rare and unusual display of professional integrity Criminal Investigation department (CID) officials of the Sri Lankan Police have informed courts that there could be high – level “interference” in the investigation of Tamil National Alliance Jaffna district Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj and his bodyguard Police sgt. Lakshman Lokuwellage .
CID officials requested courts to take charge of files relating to the on going Police probe into the incident in order to prevent possible interference and tampering by powerful persons with the intention of thwartin g or deflecting investigations and distorting justice on behalf of the perpetrators of the appalling crime.
Two assassins stopped traffic on a busy Colombo road and gunned down both victims in broad daylight.
Colombo additional Magistrate Mohammed Irshadeen accepted submissions made by CID officials and took charge of the files placing them under judicial custody till the next date of hearing on Nov 28th.
Earlier Borella police moved courts for a date regarding the inquiry as many potential witnesses including family members of Raviraj’s family had gone to Jaffna for the funeral.
CID then informed court that three suspects were arrested by them and detained under the emergency regulations for interrogation. They had recovered a T56 rifle, some bullets and some articles at the scene of the killing. They also took charge of the vehicle in which the victims travelled and produced it in court with another vehicle with some bullet marks. The productions would be sent to the Government Analyst for his examination and report.
The CID also informed court if the file was not kept under the personal charge of the magistrate there was a possibility of the assailants interfering with the investigation.
The magistrate upheld the submission of the CID and took charge of the file into his custody
The Addl Magistrate also instructed Borella Police to produce all witnesses and postponed hearings for Nov 28th.
The CID request that investigation files should be taken charge of by courts to prevent obstruction of justice illustrates clearly that high level involvement is suspected in the assassination and that interference by powerful people into the probe is anticipated.
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