Police Department in dilemma as top two officers barred from services

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana and Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

Colombo, July 25 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka Police is facing a dilemma at present as its two top officers including IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon have been barred from serving in their posts owing to the Supreme Court ruling on the latter, whilst Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake was tipped to be the acting police chief likely to be appointed by the President, the Daily Mirror learns.

A senior official attached to the Police Headquarters told the Daily Mirror yesterday that the remaining orders are sufficient for them to conduct routine duties for a next couple of days but will have to face a difficult situation if any officer was not appointed to oversee matters as early as possible.

The Supreme Court three-judge-bench issued an interim order against police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon restraining him from functioning as the Inspector General of Police. Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Inspector General Nilantha Jayawardena who was the second in command at the Police Department in charge of administration was sent on compulsory leave last week until the disciplinary inquiry against him pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks is concluded.

The political sphere was buzzing about the order of Senior DIGs who are likely to be appointed as the next IGP or an Acting IGP depending on the eventuality of President’s decision to appoint an acting police chief or relying on the Constitutional Council to appoint the next IGP based on the nominations issued by the President.

Apart from IGP Tennakoon and SDIG Jayawardena about 12 Senior DIGs function in charge of provinces and ranges across the country and their order of seniority lay namely SDIG Lalith Pathinayake overseeing Central Province, SDIG Priyantha Weerasuriya in charge of North Central Province, SDIG Sanjeewa Dharmaratne overseeing Sabaragamuwa Province, Senior DIGs Ranmal Kodituwakku, Ajith Rohana, Sajeewa Medawatte etc.

Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake who is even senior to incumbent IGP Tennakoon by two years is most likely to be appointed as the next IGP or Acting IGP but SDIG Sanjeewa Dharmaratne, who is a confidant of Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, is also likely to be tipped as the next police chief, informed sources said.

Speculation was rife that a special Cabinet meeting, which was held yesterday afternoon was to see the matter of the police chief taken up amidst other scheduled decisions to be taken.

When contacted Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said the routine duties including the Yukthiya operation will function as usual but they were yet to be informed about an acting police chief.

Meanwhile, the attempts made to contact IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon for comments were unsuccessful.