Suspect in Sivaram killing further remanded
 

BY SARATH Malalasekera

THE Kaduwela Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Ms Champa Janaki Rajaratna further remanded Armugam Sri Skandarajah alias Peter, the suspect in the killing of journalist Dharmalingam Sivram till December 6, 2005.

For security reasons the suspect was not produced before Court yesterday.

Earlier on an application by Razeed Zarook who appeared with Senaka Wettasinghe for PLOTE leader D. Siddharthan the Court directed the Police to release the vehilce which was taken into custody belonging to PLOTE leader D. Siddharthan on a bond of Rs. 5 million.

The Kaduwela Magistrate who returned a verdict of homicide at the Magisterial inquiry earlier, stated that death was due to firearm injuries caused to the head of Sivaram.

Officials of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) probing the killing of Sivaram, filing a further report told Court that investigations on the killing are not yet completed.

Investigators had questioned over 125 persons in connection with the killing of Sivaram, editor of TamilNet and "Daily Mirror" columnist who wrote under the pseudonym 'Taraki'.

On the direction of IGP Chandra Fernando, the CCD had deployed three special Police teams to conduct investigations on the killing.

Police recovered the bullet riddled body of Sivaram abducted by unknown persons near the Diyawanna Oya in Battaramulla area on April 28.

President's Counsel M. L. M. Ameen, Razeed Zarook and Senaka Wettasinghe appeared for the suspect.

Senior DIG Sirisena Herath is directing investigations conducted by CCD Director Senior SP Sarath Lugoda, ASPs J. R. Jayawardena and Palitha Fernando, Inspector Nuwan Wedasinghe, OIC, CCD and two other teams.