A request made by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to have a discussion with former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, who is currently in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under a detention order, has been denied.

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala confirmed that the former President had made a request to the CID for an opportunity to speak with former State Minister Chandrakanthan, who is currently in custody.

It is reported that one of former President Wickremesinghe’s security officers contacted CID officials via telephone requesting that the former President be allowed to speak with the detainee.

Public Security Minister Wijepala clarified that the request was denied on the grounds that it is illegal to speak over the phone with a suspect held in custody.

However, former Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila has been granted permission to meet and speak with former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan.

It was reported that former MP Gammanpila had made the request to the CID, claiming that he needed to speak with the suspect in his capacity as Chandrakanthan’s legal counsel.

Accordingly, Minister Wijepala further stated that Udaya Gammanpila was recently allowed to visit the CID and hold discussions with Chandrakanthan.

He also noted that the discussion took place in the presence of CID officers.

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was arrested by the CID on April 9 in Batticaloa, in connection with the abduction and disappearance of Professor Sivasubramaniam Ravindranath, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Eastern University. 

Following his arrest, the CID obtained a 90-day detention order for further questioning.