The investigation into the murder of veteran journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge was suppressed during the past seven years. It is only after the Good Governance Government came into power this case was resurrected. The former Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya was questioned for more than five hours by the CID last week and his statement recorded. CID sources said that this questioning was carried out in order to discover whether there had been a certain powerful hidden hand in operation giving instructions to officers of the CID who were then carrying out investigations into the murder.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has decided to once again question two retired Deputy Inspectors General of Police, who had earlier been questioned, in order to further determine the manner in which earlier investigation handled.
A high ranking official of Police Headquarters said that the attention of the CID has been focused on information received by them that, not only the Lasantha murder but the assault on journalist Upali Tennakoon had been carried out by the same team.
The CID has requested for instructions from the Attorney General’s Department in order to take into custody former retired Inspectors General of Police in the manner in which they took into custody, former Deputy Inspector General of Police Anura Senanayake in connection with the murder of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen.
The official from Police Headquarters added that the CID has made arrangements to refer the lengthy statement obtained from the former Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya, regarding the Lasantha murder incident, to the legal division, prior to obtaining instructions and they intend to carry out further investigations into this case.
