Arrested journalist files case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Journalist from the Tamil daily 'Veerakesari', Mr. Sri Gajan, filed a case against senior inspectors of the Terrorist Investigation Department on Wednesday claiming that his arrest and detention were unlawfull.

Sub Inspector P. Vaspiyawatte of the Terrorist investigatin Department (TID), Officer incharge of the TID, Inspecter General of Police (IGP), the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and the Attorney General (AG) have been sited as defendants by his lawyer, Mrs. Gowrishankar Thavarajah.

Sri Gajan said in his plaint that the police did not give any reason for his arrest, and the first defendant, who arrested him had also tried to record a statement against his wish by threatning him.

"No reason has been given for my detention and I donot know what has been written in the recorded statements," he said further.

He said that he had never acted in a manner that threatens the security of the counrty and that there are no reasons to suspect him for doing so.

He has asked for his release and damages.

According to the plaint Mr. Gajan who is 24 has been working as a sub-editor at the Veerakesari since 1996, and he has been living in Colombo since 1989.

Related Articles:
26.07.98   Plot foiled - paper
22.07.98   Uncertainty over journalists' arrests