Four Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court, seeking an order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from serving as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), and also preventing him from being appointed as the IGP.
The relevant petitions were filed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, three victims of the 2019 Easter Attack, a protester from the ‘Aragalaya’ and The Truth and Justice Lawyers’ Association, with Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, the Attorney General and the Legislative Council named as respondents
The petitioners claim that Tennakoon neglected his duties during his tenure as the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) of the Western Province, during which the Easter Attack, and the attack on the ‘GotaGoHome’ protests, better known as the ‘Aragalaya’, took place, where several protesters were brutally beaten at the Galle Face Green.
Thus, the petitions urged that the post of IGP, who is responsible for the implementation of the law in the country, be given to an individual who has humane qualities, as opposed to someone who acted contrary to his assigned duties and in violation of basic human rights.
