Dileepa Peiris removal claims are false, the Attorney General’s Department says, confirming he remains involved in the Ranil and Suresh Sallay cases.
The Attorney General’s Department has rejected Dileepa Peiris removal claims, saying the Additional Solicitor General remains involved in cases concerning Ranil Wickremesinghe and Suresh Sallay.
The clarification follows social media reports claiming Peiris had been removed from handling the government fund misuse investigation involving former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
That matter is currently before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
The Department also rejected claims that Peiris had been removed from the case relating to former State Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay.
A senior spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Department said the social media claims circulating about his removal were completely false.
The spokesperson also explained why other government lawyers had appeared in the two cases.
According to the Department, this follows a longstanding legal and professional practice.
When a senior lawyer must appear before the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal on the same day, the Department assigns another government counsel to appear in a lower court.
This can include proceedings before a Magistrate’s Court.
Accordingly, Senior State Counsel Samadari Piyasena represented the Attorney General on occasions when Peiris could not attend the case involving Wickremesinghe.
Similarly, Senior State Counsel Oswald Perera represented the Department when Peiris was absent from proceedings connected to Suresh Sallay.
The Attorney General’s Department stressed that these appearances resulted solely from routine administrative and professional arrangements.
They did not represent the removal or replacement of Peiris from either matter.
Department sources further said the Dileepa Peiris removal reports therefore had no basis in the changes in court representation.
Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris is expected to continue handling the relevant cases during future court sessions, according to the Attorney General’s Department.
