Petition filed before Appeals Court seeking to ensure Harak Kata’s safety

A writ application has been filed before the Court of Appeal seeking to ensure the safety of the drug kingpin and criminal figure Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne alias “Harak Kata”, who was arrested in Madagascar and repatriated to Sri Lanka by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) last morning.

A group of individuals including the Minister of Public Security, the Defence Secretary, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province and the Director of the CID have been named as the respondents of the petition.

The relevant writ petition has been filed by Nelson Mervin Wickremeratne, the father of “Harak Kata”, requesting the Appellate Court to immediately issue an order to the respondents to ensure his son’s safety, who is currently detained by the CID.

Moreover, the petitioning party seeks an order granting permission for Harak Kata’s lawyers and relatives to meet him.

Furthermore, the petitioner, who seeks an order to be issued ordering the respondents not to take the detained suspect to outside locations for investigation purposes, has also requested the court to order that the suspect’s hands and feet be shackled if he is taken to any outside locations.

The petitioner has further requested the Court of Appeal to issue another order to the respondents to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of his son if he is released on bail under any circumstances.

The CID dispatched a team to Madagascar earlier this week to repatriate “Harak Kata” and his infamous accomplice “Kudu Salindu” who were arrested during a visit to the Indian Ocean island off the southeastern coast of Africa.

The criminal duo was later brought to India’s Mumbai International Airport via Kenya’s Nairobi and was repatriated to Sri Lanka on Wednesday (March 15).

Later, the CID obtained an order under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) last evening to detain and interrogate the two suspects for a period of 90 days.

Meanwhile, the mother of Salindu Malshika Gunaratna alias “Kudu Salindu” had lodged the writ application before the Appeals Court yesterday, raising concerns about potential threats to her son’s life and seeking an interim order instructing the CID to ensure his safety.

The Attorney General (AG) requested the Court of Appeal to dismiss the writ application at the first instance, after the Court of Appeal ordered the AG to inform his stance regarding the petition.

In addition, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetti told the court that his client has informed him of the potential threats to the life of her son, pointing out that slain underworld leader “Makandure Madush” and other such criminal figures had been shot dead by the Sri Lanka Police previously, under the pretext of escorting them to recover hidden weapons. The president’s counsel also said that the petitioner is deeply concerned that her son would suffer a similar fate.

At the same time, the Deputy Solicitor General, stressing that the particulars mentioned in the petition are “baseless”, requested the Appeals Court bench to dismiss the petition at first instance, without taking it up for consideration.

Taking into account the submission made by the two sides, the Appeals Court president decided to call the petition on March 20 and directed the Attorney General to convey the stance of respondents named in the petition on that day.