Communique reveals AG met Saravanaraja at latter’s request

Monday, 2 October 2023 01:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

New information has emerged indicating that the meeting on 21 September involving Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam and the former Mullaitivu district judge T. Saravanaraja, took place at the judge's request to the Judicial Services Commission, seeking the Attorney General's assistance in two upcoming cases against him.

Following his resignation and self-exile Saravanaraja had publicly claimed that the Attorney General had ‘summoned’ him and attempted to pressure him during the meeting to reverse orders he had issued relating to the Kurunthamalai case.

This statement sparked public outrage directed towards the Attorney General, with many highlighting that he lacked the authority to ‘summon’ a judge.

However, in a communique seen by the Daily FT, it appears Secretary of the Judicial Services Commission H.S Somaratne had written to the Attorney General on 15 September requesting the latter to undertake the defence on behalf of Saravanaraja who has been named as the first respondent in two cases before the Court of Appeal concerning the controversial Kurunthamalai case.

Sources from the Attorney General’s Department maintain that Rajaratnam had merely held a consultation with Saravanaraja on the day to discuss the strategy for the defence proceedings relating to the cases which are scheduled to be taken up on 11 October before the Court of Appeal.