Official's overnight stay ends with arrest

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Vadivel Saravanamuttu (58), an official working in Trincomalee Customs Department told the Colombo High Court yesterday that he had been arrested on fictitious and unjustifiable grounds when he had stayed overnight in the customs area at the Colombo Harbour.

Mr. Saravanamuttu alleged that he had not been told the reason for his arrest and that he had illegally arrested and detained.

He said that he had come to Colombo on February 11 to receive his dues from the Customs Department. Unable to find alternative accommodation, he had stayed in the customs area of the Port.

On the following morning, Mr. Sarvanamuttu was taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) which removed his national identity card and handed over to the Kotahena Foreshore Police.

He was then handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police on the charge that he had entered the customs area to spy on the installations of the Colombo Port. Mr. Saravanamuttu said he was produced before a magistrate on March 7 and placed under indefinite fiscal detention.

Mr. Saravanamuttu is now under detention in the Borella remand prison.