Remand extended for LTTE Putur political head

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 June 2003, 18:02 GMT]
The LTTE's political leader for Putur, Batticaloa district, Mr. T. Satyaraj, who was arrested on remanded on June 6 until June 20, was further remanded for 14 days by the Batticaloa Magistrate, Abdul Gaffor when the case was taken up again Thursday, sources said.

Kadirgamathamby Navasooriyam, a member of the paramilitary Razeek group, was killed by unidentified men on May 19, 2003 at 1 pm at a barber shop in Putur. Following this incident, Mr. Satyaraj was arrested on June 6 by a Sri Lankan government auxiliary force, and handed over to the police, and the police produced him before the Magistrate then, stating he was involved in the murder.

The magistrate at that time ordered that Mr. Satyaraj be remanded till June 20, and when the case was taken up again on Thursday, the remand was extended for another 14 days.

The LTTE has arrested two Sri Lanka policemen and has demanded that they will be released only if Mr. Satyaraj is released. It was therefore widely expected that Mr. Satyaraj might be released on Thursday, the sources said.