Three suspects of Justice Illanchelian shooting case bailed

Three suspects, who were remanded in connection with the shooting incident in Nallur targeting Jaffna District Court Judge M. Illanchelian, have been granted bail.

They were granted bail by Jaffna High Court Judge Annalingam Premachandran yesterday (19) under strict bail conditions.

Police Sergeant Sarath Hemachandra who was a personal protection officer to Jaffna High Court judge M. Illanchelian, died in July 2017 after being shot by an unidentified man during a failed assassination bid on the judge.

The incident occurred on 22nd July 2017 near the Nallur Kovil in Jaffna while the shooter had targeted the vehicle the judge was traveling in. The injured police officer was on the motorcycle traveling behind the vehicle of the judge. He was admitted to the Jaffna Hospital where he underwent surgery. 

Justice Ilanchelian had presided in high profile rape and murder case of Sivaloganathan Vithya, a young student in Jaffna. The 18-year-old student from Pungudutivu was abducted, raped and murdered while returning from school on May 13, 2015. The incident had caused much public outrage.

When the case was taken up yesterday, the lawyers representing the defendants requested the court to release the defendants on some bail as they had been in remand for a long period of time.

Considering the request, the High Court judge ordered the 3 suspects to be bailed on a monetary bail of Rs 300,000 and personal bails worth Rs 500,000 per defendant, stated the Jaffna Police.