Pillayan detained over abduction case, not Easter attacks: Gammanpila

Thursday, 17 April 2025 03:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former MP Udaya Gammanpila

Former MP Udaya Gammanpila yesterday strongly denied claims that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as “Pillayan” was arrested over the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Speaking to the media, Gammanpila clarified that Pillayan’s recent detention is linked to an old abduction case in the Eastern province.

Pillayan was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Batticaloa on 8 April and formally detained for 90 days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on 12 April. The case relates to the 2006 abduction and disappearance of a University Vice Chancellor in the Eastern Province.

According to Gammanpila, the detention order signed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake under the PTA refers specifically to alleged involvement in aiding and abetting the kidnapping of a person in 2006.

“Nowhere in the order is there any mention of the Easter Sunday attacks,” he said.

Gammanpila also pointed out that Pillayan was in remand custody from 2015 to 2020, making it impossible for him to have any involvement in the 2019 Easter attacks.

“To claim he masterminded the Easter bombings is a joke,” he said.

He accused the Government of misleading the public, citing comments made by the Public Security Minister on 10 April and the President on 12 April linking the arrest to the Easter attacks case.

Gammanpila also revealed details on representing Pillayan as his lawyer. “Pillayan had been denied access to his legal team. Pillayan’s lawyer, my friend, had informed me that his juniors had been denied access to Pillayan by the CID when they had attempted to meet him on 9 April 2025. Only after I intervened, contacted the CID Director General and submitted a written request, was I allowed to meet him,” he explained.

Gammanpila criticised the conditions of the meeting, noting that it was conducted under surveillance with four Police officers present, violating the confidentiality usually granted to lawyer-client discussions. “Despite my requests, the officers refused to leave us alone,” he said.

Gammanpila said Pillayan was deeply emotional during the meeting. “He (Pillayan) broke down and asked whether he was being punished for helping the country defeat the LTTE and how many more years he had to suffer,” Gammanpila added.

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