Probes into Rishad’s brother still ongoing – Chamal

Investigations into the brother of MP Rishad Bathiudeen, Riyaj Bathiudeen who was detained over the alleged links to the terrorism are still in progress, says the State Minister of Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Chamal Rajapaksa.

He made this remark during the parliamentary session this morning (06). Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Chaminda Wijesiri had sought a response from the State Minister pertaining to the release of Riyaj Bathiudeen.
 
Riyaj Bathiudeen was recently released by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) due lack of evidence to file a case against him for having direct links to terrorism, the State Minister said further.

The suspect was taken into custody in Puttalam area on the 14th of April this year over 07 telephone conversations he has had with Insaf Ahmed, the bomber who struck the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, he added.

The State Minister said: “Following Riyaj’s arrest, the CID had obtained a court order to initially detain him for three days, and then twice for three-month periods. However, the investigations into the suspect have not recovered evidence to prove his direct involvement to the bomb blasts. Hence, the CID has arranged the documents to drop the detention orders and submitted them to the Defence Ministry. The suspect was then produced before the judicial medical officer and released on the 29th of September. A separate unit has been established to conduct probes in this regard. They have uncovered information about 17 telephone calls that had been initiated from the ministry’s office. The last phone call was taken three months prior to the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Releasing the suspect does not mean he is cleared of the charges. Probes into the matter have not come to an end. The police are carrying out further investigations. More arrests can be made in the future.”