Magistrate allows application to detain suspects

Sarath Malalasekera

Colombo Additional Magistrate Ravindra Premaratne yesterday allowed an application by investigators probing the assassination of UNP MP T. Maheshwaran to detain the suspects and conduct investigations and submit a report to court on the next date.

The Magistrate also allowed police to peruse the bank account of first suspect, Jonathan Wasanthan, detained under the Defence Secretary’s orders. The suspect is receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

Police filing a further report told court, investigations into the killing are still not complete.

President’s Counsel M. L. M. Ameen, Senior Counsel watching the interests of Maheshwaran’s family members, submitted to court that investigations should be conducted under Court supervision.

When Senior Counsel Ameen brought to the Court’s notice that the weapon used in the incident and spent bullets collected at the scene of incident had not been produced before court, the Magistrate said the weapon and the bullets had been sent to the Government Analyst’s Department for a report.

Counsel Ameen with Niroshan Perera, A. S. M. Misbha, K. S. Ratnavel, Shanaka Ranasinghe, Gunaratne Wanninayake, Nishada Gamage and Sujeewa Senasinghe watched the interests of Maheshwaran’s family members.

The Magistrate directed Police to submit a further report in connection with investigations into the killing on January 10.