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Lakmina staff highly irresponsible : Sooriyarachchi noticed to appear before CID

by Sarath Malalasekera

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the report in the Lakmina newspaper regarding an attempt to assassinate President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday issued notice on Sripathy Sooriyarachchi to appear at the CID office on Monday.

The CID earlier filing a further report before Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge A.M. Mohamed Macky stated that the entire staff of the Lakmina had acted in a highly irresponsible manner.

Investigations revealed that no person in Lakmina had taken the responsibility of publishing the report about a plot to kill the President.

There is a dispute among the directors and other employees of the newspaper, investigations revealed.

On Wednesday the CID recorded statements of employees Sasanka, Ananda and Varange of the Lakmina.

Earlier Lakmina newspaper publisher, Ranjith Silva told the CID that he resigned from the newspaper due to false statements made against him at the CID inquiry by others attached to the newspaper.

A special team had been assigned by CID DIG Lionel Gunatilleke to inquire into several clues received by the CID in connection with the report.

Earlier Tecla Dilrukshi Perera who appeared before the (CID) on a directive by court, told CID that she was the publisher of the Lakmina until December 12.

CID investigations revealed that Perera was the publisher of the newspaper on December 15, on which day the report about the assassination attempt appeared.

According to the Press Council and the Registrar of Companies, the publisher of Lakmina is Tecla Dilrukshi Perera, the investigators said.

CID investigations also revealed that the first editor of the Lakmina had been a journalist attached to a national newspaper. Investigators will also notice the former editor to appear before the CID to record a statement.

The CID commenced investigations into the report on a directive by Interior and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga. A statement from Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse was recorded earlier.

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