The Supreme Court ruled today (03) that the enforced disappearances of the two Tamil youths instrumented by the Batticaloa Police was in violation of fundamental rights.
Accordingly, the Court ordered the Government to pay the two petitioners compensation valued at Rs. 1 million each.
The fundamental rights petition was filed by two residents of Batticaloa by the names of Selvaraja Pushparani and Annamalai Selvaraja.
The two Tamil males in question were arrested by the Batticaloa Police on October 03, 2007. Although Police later stated that the two youths were released, the petitioners affirmed that the duo had been subjected to enforced disappearances, which they stated violated their fundamental rights.
Accordingly, the trial at bar comprised of Justices Priyasad Dep, Upali Abeyratne and Anil Gunaratne ruled in favour of the petitioners today (03), and stated that the Government must take due responsibility.
The trial at bar also ordered the former Officer In Charge (OIC) of the Batticaloa Police, P. S. Wickramasinghe to pay a compensation of Rs. 50,000 to each of the petitioners, in addition to the Rs. 1 million paid by the Government.
