Ravi Seneviratne’s FR petition dismissed

The Supreme Court today (18) dismissed a fundamental rights petition filed by former Senior DIG of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and incumbent Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne.

The petition has been filled seeking an order declaring that his fundamental human rights had been violated when he was arrested and remanded by Wellawatte Police in connection with a vehicular accident.

The petition was taken up for consideration before a three-member Supreme Court judge bench consisting of Justices S. Thurairaja, A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Priyantha Fernando.

Deputy Solicitors General Disna Warnakula, representing the respondents in the petition, raised a preliminary objection and pointed out that the petition has not been filed in accordance with the Supreme Court rules.

Accordingly, she argued that the petition cannot be maintained.

The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, after considered the facts presented, decided to dismiss the petition by accepting the preliminary objection raised by the respondents.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Attorney General, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Wellawatte Police Station and other officers were named as respondents in this petition.

In his petition, Seneviratne pointed out that he was arrested by Wellawatte Police on October 28, 2023 in connection with a road accident within the Wellawatte Police division. 

He was then produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court and was remanded in custody. 

Seneviratne had filed this petition seeking an order declaring that placing him in remand custody while it was legally possible to release him on bail was a violation of his fundamental human rights.