Court orders to investigate death threats against journalist

Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela has directed the Cinnamon Gardens Police to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into alleged death threats received by Tissa Ravindra Perera, the Deputy News Editor of the ‘Aruna’ newspaper.

The order was given after Acting OIC of the the Cinnamon Gardens Police Chief Inspector Tilak Bandara submitted the case to the court, following a complaint lodged by Perera on the 7th of this month.  

According to the police, Perera, who often covers sensitive topics such as national security, organized crime, and corruption, received a threatening phone call on the night of October 5th.

The police informed the court that Mr. Perera had received death threats over the phone allegedly due to news published by the complainant regarding a tile tender at Colombo Port.  
The caller questioned Perera’s reporting and warned him against writing about a person referred to as ‘Lal ayya,’ threatening his life if he continued.  

The Additional Magistrate authorized the retrieval of phone records and directed the police to expedite the investigation and report the findings to the court.