Jaffna HC orders further remand for Indian boatmen

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 14:20 GMT]
The Jaffna High Court Wednesday ordered further remand for the four Indian boatmen who have been charged with poaching in the Sri Lankan terroritorial waters in the northern sea, legal sources said.

High Court Judge, Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah, Wednesday recorded the evidence of four Sri Lanka Navy personnel who arrested the Indian boatmen in northern sea when poaching and four of the five police personnel who produced the suspects in courts later, legal sources said.

The High Court Judge put off the case for September 19 to record the evidence of the fifth police personnel who was not present in court Wednesday, court sources said.

All four Indian boatmen have been separately charged for poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters in March this year. They have been in remand since their arrest by the SLN soldiers, legal sources said.

State Counsel Ms S.Kanthasamy appeared for the prosecution. Attorney-at-Law Mr.K.Kesavan appeared for the Indian boatmen as no one had come from the Indian High Commission in Colombo to watch their interests, legal sources said.

Two weeks ago these Indian boatmen held a fast in the Jaffna prison demanding that the Indian High Commission should intervene in their problem, sources said.

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