LTTE Puthur political head released on bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2003, 14:00 GMT]
The East High Court Judge Mr.S.Paramarajah Friday allowed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) political head of the Puthur division in Batticaloa district, Mr.Satyaraj (Subaraj Devanayagam), on cash and surety bail at the Trincomalee session of the High Court Friday, legal sources said.

Counsel Mr.K.Sivapalan supporting the bail application submitted to court that the petitioner-suspect was arrested on June 6. The alleged murder had taken place on May 19. The petitioner was never in the area on the day of incident. There was no reason to refuse the bail application of the suspect. He was arrested at the instigation of some elements, which are bent on derailing the peace process, Mr.Sivapalan submitted, legal sources said.

State Counsel Mr.S.M.Halimdeen objected to the bail application. He said the bail application was filed regarding the charge of a murder on May 19.

The accused was arrested on June 6, seventeen days after the murder incident. There was only one eyewitness to the murder and his evidence is to be led at the non-summary proceedings of the murder case at the lower court. Hence the release of the suspect on bail could cause interference in the witness, State Counsel argued. "If the suspect was allowed in bail he would abscond. Hence I submit that the bail application be refused," said State Counsel.

After submission by the petitioner's counsel and the State Counsel the High Court Judge made order allowing the suspect on cash and surety bail. He ordered that the suspect should furnish 10,000 rupees as cash bail and two sureties should sign a bond for a sum of fifty thousand rupees, legal sources said.

He further ordered the suspect not to interfere with the witnesses in this case and not to leave the island and should hand over all travel documents to the Batticaloa Magistrate Court in this regard, legal sources said.