Former Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe was arrested by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) yesterday on charges of withholding evidence in the Kahawatte murder case which took place during the 2015 Presidential Elections.
However, Jayasinghe was granted bail by the Pelmadulla Magistrate’s Courts in the afternoon. On January 5, 2015, UNP supporter Shantha Dodangoda (57) was shot dead whilst he was decorating the stage of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
At the time, former Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara alias ‘Choka Malli’, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councillor Aruna Nilantha, Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Vajira Darshana and three others were arrested in connection to the murder and attempted murder of two others at the same location. It has been revealed that the former Senior DIG had insisted to the OIC of the Kahawatte Police Station that Premalal Jayasekara’s name not be included in the ‘B’ Report filed by him.
A statement made by the OIC in this regard resulted in the SIU issuing a charge sheet against Jayasinghe on February 10, 2016.
Yesterday morning, Jayasinghe who was summoned to Police Headquarters for questioning by the SIU was arrested thereafter and produced before the Pelmadulla Magistrate’s Court.
The Senior DIG who is currently out on bail for harbouring, concealing and assisting the main suspect Mahalingam Sivakumar alias ‘Swiss Kumar’ in the Vidya rape and murder case to flee and evade arrest was also suspended from the Police Department on July 20 by the Police Commission due to his involvement in Vidya’s case. As the cases against Jayasinghe pile up, the High Court of Jaffna is scheduled to deliver its verdict on the Vidya murder case on Wednesday (28).