Two days after four more fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for their release besides 90 boats seized.
In a letter to Modi, Jayalalithaa apprised him of the latest arrest of four Indian Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy in the early hours of June 2, who were then taken to Kankesanthurai.
She said the fishermen had ventured into the sea from Kottaipattinam in Pudukottai District on June 1.
"I am constrained to point out that despite my repeated requests, the seized boats and gear belonging to the fishermen of Tamil Nadu have not been released by the Sri Lankan authorities so far."
Earlier, on May 31, seven fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested the Lankan Navy.
She requested Modi to take urgent action to secure the release of the 11 fishermen and a total of 90 fishing boats without any delay.
"May I request your immediate intervention in this matter," she said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.
Jayalalithaa also reiterated the state's plea for a package for deep sea fishing at a cost of Rs 1,520 crore and a recurring grant of Rs ten crore per annum for maintenance dredging. (PTI)
Eastern Province Chief Minister Ahamad Nazeer yesterday participated in a luncheon at the Trincomalee Navy camp.
The luncheon was hosted for visiting Singaporean Minister H. Easwaran.
Eastern Province Chief Minister Nazeer's presence at the naval compound seemed unlikely since the recent incident involving Nazeer who had been seen reprimanding a Navy officer at a school function in Sampur.
It was reported in media that Chief Minister Nazeer has been barred entry to military compounds following the incident. Later the Security Forces announced they had decided to lift the restrictions on the Chief Minister.
Eight students of the Kelaniya University, who were accused of ragging a first year student by berating her in obscene language and obstructing her daily routine, were on Tuesday (31) ordered to be re-remanded until 14 June by the Mahara Chief Magistrate, Mahinda Prabath Ranasinghe.
When the case was taken up for hearing on Tuesday, State Counsel Neomie Wickremasekera told Court that legal action could be filed against the first, second, third and eighth defendants for sexual harassment, according to the Ragging Act and the other four defendants could be charged with ragging.
State Counsel also informed the Court that the student who is alleged to have been subjected to ragging, was receiving threats via the internet as well. Subsequently, the Magistrate ordered the Kiribathgoda Police to conduct an investigation into students engaged in threatening the victim and immediately arrest and produce them in Court.
The Magistrate informed the defendants' lawyers that bail could not be granted through the Magistrate's Court as the suspects have been charged under the Ragging Act. He said they would have to apply for bail to the High Court.
W. M. Gihan Akalanka, Manjula Pushpakumara, W. Saman Chanaka Fernando, Thushara Sampath, Athula Priyadharshana, Rasanjalie Fonseka, Rangika Nadeeshani Dilrukshi, and Thilini Dhanushika Dilrukshi are the eight students who have been re-remanded. The complaint was presented to the Court by Police Sergeant Jayantha (32873) on the instructions of Chief Inspector S. K. H. Meeellage, the Officer-In-Charge of the Kiribathgoda Police. Attorneys-at-Law Sisira Jayakody and Deshal Paul represented the defence.
The Embilipitiya Magistrate Court released Embilipitiya ASP DWC Dharmarathna, who was in remand custody over the death of a youth, on bail today.
Earlier, the former ASP was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on February 02 in connection with the death of a youth in Embilipitiya. The former ASP was summoned by the CID to record a statement and was arrested thereafter.
Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena was evacuated Wednesday night from a fire at a luxury beach hotel minutes after presiding over its opening ceremony, an official said.
Sparks from fireworks hit a straw-roofed beach hut at the 300-room Shangri-La following the ribbon-cutting and triggered the fire at the hotel in Hambantota in the country's deep south, president's spokesman Dharmasri Bandara said.
"The president had just walked back to the hotel while the fireworks display was still on," Bandara told AFP. "He immediately left the hotel, but a fire truck from the president's convoy stayed back to put out the fire."
Local journalist Easwaran Rutnam, who was covering the hotel's opening, said the president was about 50 metres from the hut that was gutted by the fire.
"It took about an hour for the fire to be extinguished, but it did not spread to the main hotel building," Rutnam told AFP. He said the president was seen being escorted out of the premises.
There was no immediate comment from the hotel located about 240 kilometres (150 miles) south of the capital Colombo.
A local police officer said no one was injured during the incident, but an investigation had been launched.
There had been several breaches of security at functions attended by President Sirisena who came to power in January last year. He has dispensed with much of the tight security accorded to his predecessors.
Australian Businessman Brian Shadick’s Power of Attorney Lasitha Perera yesterday revealed a forged statutory declaration allegedly prepared by Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila to be presented to court during the hearing of Australian Businessman Brian Shadick’s case.
Perera said that the handwriting in the statutory declaration is that of Gammanpila’s which is said to be prepared by Rosemary Smith, an Australian. According to the statutory declaration Rosemary Smith had affirmed that she had recognised her signature and handwriting in the Power of Attorney dated 1997 April 18 which had been given to Udaya Prabath Gammanpila by Digital Nominees Company.
Smith had also affirmed that she witnessed the signatures of Brian Shaddick and Janet Shaddick in the Power of Attorney along with Judith Dawes on the request of Brian Shaddick.
Further,Smith had affirmed that when the document was signed she had been the secretary/book keeper and Judith Dawes had been the receptionist of the Perth Metal Company of which Brian Shaddick was the Managing Director.
However during a media briefing that was held yesterday at the Library Services and Documentation Board, Perera claimed that the statutory declaration had not been prepared by the so called Rosemary Smith. He alleged that it had been prepared by Gammanpila with the intention of misleading the court.
“Gammanpila has his own special way of writing.You too will witness it if you go through *the letters he had sent to the Department of Registrar of Companies.We sent this document for further investigations. We believe that this document had been prepared by him and the signature in the
document is also forged” Perera said.
Earlier,Lasitha Perera accusded Gammanpila for transferring 4.1 million shares of Pan Asia Bank which is an affiliate of Digital Nominees Company using a Forged Power of Attorney.
The 4.1 million shares which is of 110 million in value solely belonging to Shadick and his family had been fraudulently sold to Vanik Incorporation PLC and Dhammika Perera by Gammanpila. Gammanpila’s wife Dinesha Gammanpila had signed as a witness for the transactions that had taken place,according to Perera.
“It is a huge injustice done to the aggrieved party and the investors as the Attorney General’s Department had delayed to take further steps although the Police Special Investigation Unit had concluded the investigations pertaining to this matter. “ he added while requesting further steps taken by the Attorney General Department into the alleged financial fraud committed by Gammanpila against Australian businessman, Brian Shaddick, be expedited.
Perera also noted that Gammanpila had been silent so far and challenged Gammanpila for an open debate on these allegations.
“We were not in a state to make these revelations during the past regime as we did not take our lives for granted.Now we have got the opportunity to voice out these actions of injustice.Therfore, I challenge Gammanpila to file a case against me If I have made any false allegations “ Perera said.
Former ODI No.1 spot holder Nuwan Kulasekara has announced his retirement from Test Cricket with immediate effect.
In a letter addressed to SLC, Kulasekera says,
“I would like to retire from playing Test cricket with immediate effect. After much thought I believe it is the right time to retire and I hope it will allow me to better prepare for ODI and T20 cricket, which I would like to continue playing for Sri Lanka subject to good performance and selection”
The former strike bowler with 48 test wickets to his name and best innings figures of 4/21, was ranked the ICC ODI No1 bowler in March 2009 after a 47 wicket haul in the preceding eleven months. His prowess is an integral part of the Sri Lankan bowling arsenal, and Sri Lanka Cricket wishes him many more wickets to come!
Sri Lanka fast bowler Shaminda Eranga has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the 2nd Test against England.
The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Sri Lanka team management, cited concerns about the legality of the 29-year-old’s bowling action.
Eranga’s bowling action will now be scrutinized further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
He is required to undergo testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Eranga is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known.
