• The three accused had been charged under the PTA

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

Three accused arrested and indicted in connection with the  assassination attempt of former Pakistani High Commissioner in 2006 were  yesterday acquitted and released from the case by Colombo High Court.   

While handing out a judgement against the three accused  Kanagaraja Adithyan alias Ranjan, Yogaraja Niroshan Dickwella alias and a  trishaw driver Subramaniam Chethiyaraja, High Court Judge M. Weeraman  observed that the prosecutors have failed to prove the accused’s guilty  beyond a reasonable doubt.  

The accused had been arrested on charges of conspiring,  aiding and abetting to commit this offence and providing a trishaw to  carry out a claymore bomb blast targeting the Pakistani High  Commissioner to Sri Lanka Bashir Wali Mohamed at Kollupitiya on August  14, 2006.  

The three accused had been charged under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorist Act (PTA).  
On August 14, 2006, a convoy carrying the Pakistani High  Commissioner, was attacked with a claymore mine. The High Commissioner  escaped unhurt, however, seven people including four Army commandos  were killed, and several persons were injured in the blast.