Nimalarajan murder case struck off from roll call

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2004, 03:50 GMT]
The Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, Thursday struck off the murder case of journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan from the roll call until the Attorney General sent his determination on the findings of the special police team, which conducted investigation into the murder, legal sources said.

When this case was taken up for inquiry Thursday, the prosecution informed court that it has not received any intimation from the AG department. The CID officials also were not present in court. The Magistrate struck off the case from the call sheet until the AG department sent its determination on the police report, legal sources said.

Counsel Mr. M.Remedius later told Jaffna journalists his apprehension that this case could also be abandoned by the AG department in due course like the Chemmani massacre case and several other criminal cases involving members of security forces in Jaffna and other parts of northeast, sources said

The special team led by Mr.Ranjith de Silva, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) official of the Jaffna Police conducted investigation into the murder of Nimalarajan following agitation by national and international media organizations and civil human rights groups and submitted its report to the Attorney General department, legal sources said.

Four suspects identified as members of the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) were arrested and produced in this case. Later the Jaffna High Court enlarged them on bail and ordered them to report on the last Sunday of each month to the Jaffna Police. Few days ago the Supreme Court, which inquired into the Fundamental Rights applications of the suspects, ordered them to report to the Vavuniya Police instead at Jaffna Police Station. The suspects in their FR applications submitted that they felt insecure in Jaffna, legal sources said.

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