CID grills Karuna Amman on controversial statement

Friday, 26 June 2020 00:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna Amman) arrived at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday in Colombo – Pic by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Statements recorded for seven hours
Karuna claims no intention to insult Sri Lanka Army or Govt. via remarks at rally

The Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) questioned Tamil United Freedom Front (TUFF) leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias ‘Karuna Amman’ in connection with a controversial statement he made in Ampara recently.

The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Monday ordered the CID to conduct an immediate inquiry into the statement made the one-time LTTE commander turned politician at a meeting in Navadinveli, Ampara on 19 June, glorifying the killing of Sri Lankan soldiers during his time as an LTTE militant.

Speaking to reporters while leaving the CID premises yesterday, Karuna said that he had no intention of insulting the Sri Lanka Army or the Government with his remarks which were made during an election campaign rally.

Although he was summoned to the CID to provide a statement on Tuesday, Karuna Amman informed the CID through a lawyer that he was not in a position to provide a statement due to ill health. Thereby he requested for another date to provide a statement and accordingly arrived at the CID yesterday.

Addressing a gathering in Ampara, Karuna said that he is more dangerous than the coronavirus as he has killed 2000 to 3000 Sri Lankan soldiers in one night in Elephant Pass.

Karuna Amman’s statement drew fire from both ruling and Opposition political parties, as well as calls for authorities to arrest and prosecute the former LTTE leader, as he had admitted to killing of military personnel.

Petitioner seeks Karuna’s arrest over claims he killed 1000s of soldiers