A stunning courtroom revelation raises serious questions about a year-long detention, as authorities fail to produce any Easter Sunday terror charges against Pillayan despite earlier political claims.
Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has revealed that no formal charges related to the Easter Sunday attacks have been filed against Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, who spent 359 days in Criminal Investigation Department custody.
Gammanpila recalled that at the time of Pillayan’s arrest last year, senior government figures, including the President and then Minister of Police Ananda Wijeyapala, had publicly alleged in Parliament and during meetings in Batticaloa that he was linked to the Easter Sunday bombings.
However, he emphasized that when Pillayan was finally produced before court after nearly a year in detention, authorities had failed to substantiate those claims with any charges connected to the Easter attacks or terrorism-related offenses.
Gammanpila further stated that the Criminal Investigation Department had presented facts to court framing Pillayan’s alleged actions during the conflict with LTTE terrorists as punishable offenses. He argued that this approach lacked legal foundation and maintained that the CID did not possess the authority to detain him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in this context.
Highlighting legal concerns, Gammanpila said he had requested the court to grant release on the basis that due process had not been followed and that there was no credible evidence supporting prolonged detention under national security laws.
After reviewing submissions, Mount Lavinia Magistrate Pasan Amarasinghe stated that the Attorney General’s advice must be sought regarding the CID’s claims. Accordingly, the court ordered that the suspect remain in remand custody until further direction is received from the Attorney General.
Gammanpila also indicated that an appeal will be filed before the Court of Appeal, signaling a continued legal battle over the legality of the arrest, detention, and handling of the case.
Pillayan was initially arrested in Batticaloa in connection with the abduction and disappearance of former Eastern University Vice Chancellor Professor Sivasubramaniam Ravindranath. He was subsequently held under a detention order for 359 days before being presented before the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer on the stated date.
