SDIGs' transfers: Minister siding particular person, alleges Ajith Rohana

Senior DIG Ajith Rohana who is among the seven SDIGs who were transferred, writes to National Police Commission Chairman Chandra Fernando requesting not to approve the malicious, unreasonable and unjustifiable transfers by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles. 

He alleged that the minister does all these malicious acts to harass them and to protect a particular SDIG.

Seven Senior DIGs including Lalith Pathinayake, Ajith Rohana, W.K. Jayalath and S.C. Medawatte were transferred with immediate effect.

In his letter, SDIG Rohana said that Minister Tiran Alles held a conference on 18 April 2023 for all Senior Deputy Inspectors General of Police, and he reprimanded them on a letter prepared by him on the instructions of the IGP. 

"Further, he impliedly accused me of social media reports related to the IGP's post which were being circulated in cyber space and an indication was given that I would be transferred," he informed the NPC Chairman.

The Senior DIG further said that after the conference, he was summoned by the minister to his office and informed that the South was not under control. 

"If the minister is correct, I invite the members of NPC to scrutinize and compare crime statistics, shooting incidents and other activities related to the police that happened in the Southern and Western Provinces. The minister does all these malicious acts to harass us and to protect one particular SDIG," he said.

He urged the commission not to approve malicious recommendations in respect of his transfer.

Meanwhile, SDIG Rohana also informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security that he is not bound to implement the transfer orders without the approval of the Police Commission.

He said according to the law and the  Constitution, the National Police Commission has been empowered to transfer police officers and the Commission has not given any authority to the secretary of the Public Security Ministry to approve the transfer of senior DIGs. 

While stating that the transfer was made under the covering approval of the Police Commission, Rohana told the secretary, "There is no doctrine of 'coverage approval' in the transfer procedure".

Accordingly, the Senior DIG said that unless the Police Commission approves these transfers, the orders are illegal.

The SDIG said that he is not bound to execute such illegal orders.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)