Suresh Sallay arrested under PTA, to be held for 72 hours for questioning - Police

Former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay was arrested this morning (25) under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), police have confirmed.

Speaking at a special media briefing in Colombo today, Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Legal Division Jaliya Senaratne said since former SIS head Suresh Sallay has been arrested under the provisions of the PTA, he can be held for 72 hours for questioning.

Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province, Sajeewa Medawatte stated that Suresh Sallay was arrested based on evidence related to the 2019 Easter Attacks Bombings.

SDIG Sajeewa Medawatte further mentioned that a lengthy investigation needs to be conducted in this regard and that more information will be revealed in due course.

He also noted that it is difficult to disclose further information within a few hours and emphasized that police have carried out their duties properly.

Responding to journalists’ questions about allegations that a campaign has been launched against the police for arresting retired Major General Suresh Sallay without properly disclosing the reason, he stated that if the arrest had not been made, there would have been a campaign against the police for failing to act.

Senior Deputy Inspector General Sajeewa Medawatte further said that during future interrogations of retired Major General Suresh Sallay, information about the mastermind behind the 2019 Easter attacks may be uncovered.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police Jaliya Senaratne, who also attended the media briefing, stated that under the PTA, a person can be detained for three days upon arrest.

He added that thereafter, based on evidence, steps can be taken to obtain a detention order, and that legal provisions exist for this purpose.

DIG Jaliya Senaratne also stated that the public will be informed in due course about the facts they need to know regarding the arrest of Suresh Sallay.

The former Head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay was arrested by a special team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this morning in Peliyagoda.

He was arrested in relation to the ongoing investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

Coordinated suicide bombings carried out by a group of Islamic extremists led by Zahran Hashim on April 21, 2019, targeted eight locations including churches and hotels, killing at least 273 people.

Following the bombings, a number of investigations were launched including probes by a Parliamentary Select Committee and a Presidential Commission of Inquiry.

Based on the findings from those investigations, indictments were filed before a permanent three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar against 25 accused, including Naufar Moulavi, over alleged direct links to the terror group. The trial is currently being heard on a daily basis.

Amid continued allegations by various parties that there was a political hand behind the attacks, investigations were expedited following appointment of the new government.

Controversy also intensified after the British television network Channel 4 aired a documentary titled “Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings: Dispatches”, which alleged that a meeting involving Maj. Gen. Sallay and members of the Thowheed Jamath organization discussed creating instability in the country to facilitate the return to power of the Rajapaksas. The allegations were linked to claims made by Azad Maulana, a former media spokesman for Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, who is currently seeking political asylum in Switzerland.

The CID had also informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on several occasions about a confidential investigation being conducted into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

Retired Major General Suresh Tuan Sallay joined the Sri Lanka Army on March 16, 1987.

He served in the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps and the Signals Regiment.

Subsequently, in 1993, he was selected to the Military Intelligence Corps due to his ability to handle several languages.

From 2006 to 2009, Suresh Sallay served as First Secretary at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Paris.

From 2016 to 2018, he served as a Minister Counsellor at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia.

From January 2019 to November of the same year, Suresh Sallay attended the National Defence College in New Delhi, where he completed the NDC (National Defence College) course.

From December 2019, he served as the Director of the State Intelligence Service.

He was removed from the State Intelligence Service at the end of 2024 due to allegations leveled against him in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks carried out in the country on April 21, 2019.