IGP and phone-gate: PM clarifies

Responding to charges by the Opposition regarding alleged political interference through the Police Chief in an ongoing corruption case, Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe on Saturday clarified to Parliament that IGP Pujith Jayasundera had not tried to prevent the arrest of Matara Devinuwara Vishnu Devalaya Dishan Nilame Wickremaratne Gunasekara, who is currently under investigation by the FCID. 

According to the Prime Minister, there was no requirement to arrest the Nilame at that moment and the IGP was merely communicating this in a telephone call which had been incorrectly interpreted.

“This Nilame was asked to come to court to receive some documents. Then a question came up about the possible arrest to which the IGP confirmed such an arrest was not required,” said the PM.

Asked by Opposition Parliamentarians about who was on the other end of the call made to the IGP while he was at an event in Ratnapura, the Prime Minister said «I think it was the minister,» which was seen to be confirmation that the call to Jayasundera had come from Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake. The Prime Minister said he would be discussing the issue with the minister when he was back in Colombo. 

Revealing the history of the Nilame and the reasons for politicians to seek police support to prevent possible arrest over the charges, Wickeremesinghe said: “I also know this Nilame. He was with us and has gone to support the King. So, making use of his old contacts he wants to know about a possible arrest. Not only the Nilame but even some Members of Parliament come asking if they will be arrested. All those who were with the King are now in a fix. Some members have pleaded with police not to arrest them.»

The Prime Minister admitted that if a MP raised a question about a possible arrest in Parliament, he would try to offer some relief. «We want MPs to be in Parliament. We saw how Sarath Fonseka was treated,» he said.

The Prime Minister said the issue was an internal problem at the Devinuara Devalaya. «However, the inquiry is on and we haven’t stopped it. If necessary, we can arrest him, but there was no requirement to arrest him at that moment. The Police and the Attorney General should make a call on this. We know about the King and what happens when you go and join him,” added the Prime Minister.

Wickremesinghe also assured the Parliament that ongoing investigations into some 500 cases will be completed soon and indictments would be served.

Wickremesinghe said he would meet the IGP and the Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake on Monday along with opposition lawmaker and JVP Leader Anura Dissanayake.

However, MP Dissanayake, who disagreed with the PM for trivialising the serious allegations against Nilame said: «Please don’t take this as an internal issue of the Devinuwara Devalaya. The particular Nilame has a series of complaints, including complaints about the use of vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat and selling the mineral sands of Sri Lanka. He is a close ally of the previous regime and was engaged in corruption and disregarding the law. This is a problem about the abuse of public property. We want you to act according to the public mandate given on 8 January.”

Police Chief Jayasundera was under fire after he told an unidentified caller, in the presence of media personnel who captured the video that was aired last week, that he had instructed the FCID to seek his permission before arresting an individual in a case that appeared to be of concern to the caller. (AH)