Call to withdraw FR cases against officers tackling underworld

Colombo, Oct 21 (Daily Mirror) - Following a request from security chiefs for the removal of Fundamental Rights cases and arrest orders against officers tackling the rising underworld, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the Attorney General to immediately intervene to address these allegations against such members of the law enforcement authorities.

This was revealed when the National Security Council met last week, where they discussed the practical problems to combat the rising underworld in the country.

Accordingly, in order to curb the rising underworld, the security chiefs have requested the President to immediately intervene in the matter. During the meeting, STF Commandant Senior DIG Varuna Jayasundara pointed out that there are already 17 pending cases against the officers of the Special Task Force dedicated to suppressing the underworld, accusing them of violating human rights.

It was also revealed that some officers have left the anti-underworld operations due to the delay in the court cases. Such officers have had to find lawyers at their own expense for the cases filed by the criminals.

At the NSC meeting the Attorney General promised these matters would be resolved immediately with his intervention.