Easter attacks: Petition filed seeking legal action against Nilantha Jayawardena

A writ petition has been filed before the Court of Appeal seeking that an order be issued to the IGP and other respondents to take legal action against the former Chief of the State Intelligence Service, Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena over failure to prevent 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, despite receiving intelligence information.

The petition was filed by the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), its director Rev. Fr. Jude Vernon Rohan Silva and a victim of Easter attacks named Devage Surach Nilanga.

The IGP, SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena and the Attorney General have been named as respondents of the relevant petition.

The petitioners alleged that the respondents have yet to take legal action against Jayawardena, despite there being sufficient evidence to support the fact that he failed to prevent the coordinated bombings.

Accordingly, they have requested the Appeals Court to deliver an order instructing the respondents of named in the petition to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on Easter Sunday attacks.

The petitioners also have sought a writ order calling for the arrest of Jayawardena under the Criminal Law and subsequent legal action against him.