Lalith, Kugan disappearance:
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (30) informed the Supreme Court that he was willing to appear in court in respect of habeas corpus case filed over the disappearance of Lalith Kumar Weeraraja and Kugan Muruganandan, in Jaffna, in early Dec, 2011.
President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing on behalf of the ex-President, said so when the relevant appeal petition was taken up before the Supreme Court.
Relatives of Lalith and Kugan have accused the military of causing their disappearance on 09 Dec., 2011. At the time they disappeared Gotabaya Rajapaksa served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
According to Jaffna-based sources, the two political activists were last seen on 09 Dec., 2011, as they left Muruganandan’s residence in Avarangal, Jaffna, on a motorcycle, around 5.00 pm. The disappearance took place the day before they were to hold a media briefing in Jaffna to announce a protest in Colombo, on 13 Dec., to demand an end to suppression of the Tamil community.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala recently told Parliament that the long-stalled Lalith and Kugan disappearance case had been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Minister Wijepala said so in response to a query raised by NPP lawmaker Dr. Najith Indika, who is also the Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOE) on Governance, Justice, and Civil Protection. (SF)