Attorney General (AG) Parinda Ranasinghe has directed Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya to initiate an investigation into the leak of a crucial document sent to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which surfaced publicly before being officially submitted to court.
The document in question was a letter from the AG instructing the CID to temporarily suspend the implementation of his earlier directive to discharge three suspects. These individuals were arrested in connection with the abduction of Lasantha Wickrematunge’s driver, Karunaratne Dias, and the destruction of evidence related to the case.
Concerns have arisen within the AG’s Department that the leak was intended to cause reputational harm. Given these suspicions, the AG personally conveyed his concerns to the Acting IGP via telephone, with a formal written directive to be issued on February 17.
On January 27, AG Ranasinghe had initially recommended the CID release the three suspects, who are currently appearing before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court. This decision sparked controversy and led to a high-level meeting between the AG and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During this meeting, the AG defended his decision, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to proceed with legal action. However, he assured that charges could be refiled should new evidence emerge.
Subsequently, last Monday, the CID submitted three folders containing new facts related to the case to the AG’s Department. The following day, the CID requested additional time to act on the AG’s instructions due to the ongoing controversy surrounding the matter.
In response to the CID’s request, the AG’s Department issued a letter instructing the temporary suspension of the suspects’ discharge. This letter, signed by Senior Additional Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya, was personally handed over to two CID officers. However, it was later found to have been leaked to outside parties, raising suspicions regarding its unauthorized disclosure.
The AG’s Department has expressed serious concern over how the document ended up in the public domain before its official submission to court. The investigation ordered by the AG is expected to determine the source of the leak and whether it was a deliberate attempt to undermine the department.
