Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday, 13 January 2023 02:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Following the Supreme Court judgement on the Fundamental Rights petition filed in relation to the Easter Sunday attack, it is likely that the former Chief of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena will now face an inquiry conducted by the Police.
In the judgement delivered, the court ordered Jayawardena to pay Rs. 75 million from his personal funds to victims of the attack as compensation while the court also instructed the government to initiate disciplinary action against Jayawardena for his failure and lapses in preventing the attack.
Accordingly, a highly placed source in the Police said the court order will now require the Police to subject Jayawardena to an inquiry where wrongs committed by him in carrying out his duty will be identified under the Sri Lanka Police’s Departmental Orders. Depending on the charges, Jayawardena who was recently appointed as the Senior DIG in charge of administration may even be interdicted.
Jayawardena is currently the second most senior officer of the Sri Lanka Police after the current IGP C.D. Wickremeratne. Accordingly, Jayawardena is slated to become the next head of the Police on Wickremaratne’s retirement. However, the outcome of the inquiry and the Supreme Court judgement may now put Jayawardena out of running for the top post.
Senior DIG Central Province Priyantha Weerasooriya and Senior DIG Western Province Deshabandu Tennekoon are the second and third in line for the post based on their seniority in the force. However, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the Easter Sunday bombings also found that Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon had also not fulfilled his duties during the attack and recommended a disciplinary inquiry be initiated against him.
