A report has been requested by the National Police Commission regarding several comments made by DIG Ranjith Perera, Chief of the Police Special Task Force (STF), against journalists during a press briefing held on 17 June.
The National Police Commission Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray said that the IGP has been notified to handover the report today itself.
The Free Media Movement (FMM) has also vehemently condemned the comments made by the DIG against journalists during the press briefing. The FMM has also urged the Government to initiate an unbiased investigation and take appropriate legal action against the STF Chief.
“As he has alleged at the press briefing, STF officers’ who successfully caught a haul of heroine recently based on their own intelligence network, did not receive proper recognition as two newspapers published articles damaging his officers’ reputation. DIG Perera raised serious allegations against journalists. At the press briefing he has alleged that journalists are conducting their profession under the payroll of underworld mafia and he knows how to punish them..
The statement made by DIG Perera does pose a great threat on the security of professional journalists,” the FMM said in a statement.
