Ex-DIG Nalaka de Silva released from case over alleged 2019 VIP assassination plot
December 6, 2023 01:33 pm
Former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Nalaka de Silva has been released in the case filed over the alleged VIP assassination plot in 2019.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate gave orders to release de Silva after the Attorney General informed the court that ‘insufficient evidence’ was found to support the allegations.
In September 2018, the Director (Operations) of Anti-Corruption Movement, Namal Kumara had exposed an alleged conspiracy and the purported conversations on controversial topics that he had had with former DIG Nalaka de Silva in this regard.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) subsequently commenced investigations into the matter and grilled the former Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on multiple occasions.
De Silva was arrested by the CID on October 25, 2018, over the suspected plot to assassinate former presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He had since been in remand custody as his bail applications were rejected. He was granted bail in May 2019 on the orders of Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
He had also filed an FR petition seeking the Supreme Court to rule that his arrest and detention were unlawful, however withdrew it in September 2020.