Court issues notice to Respondents in FR case

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 10:46 GMT]
Three-member bench of the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Wednesday directed its registrar to issue notice on eight respondents including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Inspector General of Police, Officer-in-Charge of the Terrorist Intelligence Unit and the Attorney General to appear in court on the next date in connection with the fundamental rights application filed by two Jaffna Tamil civilians now being detained in Boosa detention centre, legal sources said.

The other four respondents issued notice are Corporal Lankathilaka of Muhamaalai SLA camp who arrested the suspects, OIC, Kodikaamam police station, OIC, Kankesanthurai police station and Superintendent of Prisons.

The FR petition filed by Thuraisingham Logendrakumar, 35, of Madduvil South in Chavakachche'ri and Sivagnanam Gnanakumar, 21, of Annamar Kovilady in Mathagal was taken up for hearing Wednesday before three-member bench chaired by Justice Raja Fernando. Other two were Justices Saleem Marsook and G.Balapattebendi.

Logendrakumar was the driver of a private passenger bus and Gnanakumar was the conductor. On August 11 last year both were arrested at Muhamaalai SLA checkpoint by army when they were transporting passengers from Jaffna to Muhamaalai.

Thereafter both were handed over to KKS police station. Later they were airlifted to Colombo and interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit. Since then they were not produced in court but being detained for more than ten months in Boosa detention camp located in Galle in the southern province illegally, petitioners state in their application.

Petitioners beg the court to declare that they are held in detention illegally and to order for their release immediately with compensation.

Counsels Dr.Thiyagar Thirunavukarasu and Mr.Velupillai Ponnambalam appeared for the petitioners.