Assassin arrested in high profile murder for first time

Maheshwaran killing

Rohan Mathes

Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday declared that a suspect believed to be the assassin of UNP Parliamentarian T. Maheshwaran has already been arrested which was the first time that such an arrest was made.

He said further investigations are being carried out by the Police.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet news briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium in Narahenpita yesterday, Minister Yapa said while fully condemning the assassination of the Colombo District UNP Parliamentarian at a Kovil in Kotahena on New Year day, the Government will take all measures at their disposal and leave no stone unturned to bring the culprits to book.

Fielding questions from journalists on allegations that the MP's security had been curtailed, Minister Yapa maintained that when one was a vulnerable target of the LTTE, he was in effect risk-prone, regardless of the number of security persons deployed for him.

He claimed that some viewed the assassination from a wrong perspective, and pointed the finger unjustifiably in a different direction.

SSP and Director Colombo Crimes Division Anura Senanayake responding to questions of journalists on an alleged link of the arrested suspect to the EPDP Intelligence wing, as stated by Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in a BBC radio interview on Wednesday, categorically denied any such information.

"According to our investigations, we have not established any supporting evidence to this effect. However, we possess strong evidence that the suspect so arrested had definitely been the assassin of MP Maheshwaran." Now the issue lies as to his origin. He has been domiciled in Wattala, although his origins have been traced to Jaffna prior to 1995.", the SSP said.

SSP Anura Senanayake further stated that several live bullets had been recovered from the toilet ceiling of his house in Wattala. To ensure the secrecy and the confidentiality of the investigations, further information could not be divulged here to the media.

Responding to a query pertaining to the action taken by the Government in respect of Minister Mervyn Silva's foray into the Rupavahini Corporation recently, Minister Yapa said that he had appointed a 'one man Commission' to look into the matter, as the subject minister in charge of the Rupavahini Corporation.

"I personally assume that this unfortunate incident should not have happened. Minister Mervyn Silva should have first consulted me on his grievances if any. So now I have basically become a Judge. Until I get the report I do not wish to comment on either side, on the matter", he added.