Court orders arrest of Jeevan Thondaman over Pedro Estate ruckus

Nuwara Eliya Acting Magistrate Jayamini Ambagahawatte has ordered the arrest of State Minister of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure Jeevan Thondaman and several other suspects over the storming of the Pedro Estate Tea Factory in May. The Acting Magistrate issued the order to the Nuwara Eliya police yesterday after Thondaman and other suspects did not present themselves before the Magistrate despite the court’s summons.

The State Minister and a group of supporters are accused of storming the Pedro Estate Tea Factory owned by Kelani Valley Plantations PLC on 30 May and acting in a disorderly manner.



 The group had allegedly held its CEO Anura Weerakoon hostage in an attempt to forcefully reinstate three employees of the factory.

Video evidence showed Thondaman trespassing on estate property, disrupting work, and threatening to set fire to the estates if legal action was taken against him.

Following the incident, the Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) urged the Government and Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice.

Presenting facts before the court, the Nuwara Eliya police said the State Minister and his supporter’s actions on 30 May violated the country’s Penal Code.

Accordingly, the police were instructed to arrest the State Minister and present him, along with others, before the court.

The Nuwara Eliya Police had notified the suspects, including State Minister Jeevan Thondaman to appear before the court on 22 July. However, since none of the suspects appeared, the lawyers representing the estate company presented the facts before the court.