Jaffna High Court refers HC applications for inquiry

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 October 2004, 13:35 GMT]
Jaffna High Court Judge Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah Tuesday referred two Habeas Corpus applications to the Chavakachcheri Magistrate for preliminary inquiry and report. Petitioners in the two separate HC applications have cited former Jaffna area commander Lionel Balagalle and Lieutenant Duminda Keppitigollawa, former officer in charge of the Chavakachcheri army detachment as respondents, legal sources said.

Petitioners in the HC applications begged the High Court to order the respondents to produce Mr.Sivaguru Thangathurai of Navatkuli and Mr.Ponniah Jeyarajah of Navatkuli who were arrested by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army during 1996 and later reported to be disappeared, the sources said.

The High Court further ordered the petitioners and respondents to appear in the Chavakachcheri magistrate court on October 18 when the preliminary inquiry is to commence into the HC applications, the sources said.

The High Court further ordered that HC applications in regard to the disappearance of another six youths during 1996 period would be taken up for inquiry on 6 December.

Attorney-at-Law Mr.Remedius appeared for the petitioners and State Counsel Ms Suganthi Kandasamy for the respondents, the sources said.