IGP tenders unconditional regret to Supreme Court

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana Wickremaratne and four other police officers yesterday tendered their unconditional regret to the Supreme Court for their failure to adhere with a Supreme Court order.  

This is for their failure to adhere with the Supreme Court’s order to take necessary action to pay the salary of former CID sub inspector Sugath Mendis who was arrested and interdicted along with former CID Director Shani Abeysekera.  

The Police Chief and four other officers were noticed to appear personally to show cause as to why they failed to implement the Supreme Court’s order.  
Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, S. Thurairaja and Mahinda Samayawardena directed the respondents to study the case proceedings in order to get an idea regarding the case.   

The Supreme Court had earlier issued notices directing IGP Chandana Wickremaratne, DIG Mahinda Gunarathna, DIG J. S. Wirasekara, SSP M. N. S. Mendis and ASP Sanath Kumara to appear in court on November 16. In complying with the said order, the IGP and other police officers were present yesterday.  
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Nerin Pulle appearing for the IGP and other respondents informed court that the respondents are tendering their unconditional regret for their failure to implement the court order. The ASG told court the administrative delay on the part of police department had delayed the implementation of the court order and further said that the petitioner, the CID officer has been reinstated him back into the service as per the court order.   It transpired in court that police inaction had delayed the implementation of court order to pay the salary of former CID sub inspector.  

On May 18, the supreme court ordered that former CID sub inspector be paid his full salary and entitlements with effect from 23/03/2022. 

 
Sub-inspector Mendis was arrested and remanded for 11 months in connection with allegations that his superior officer SSP Shani Abeysekara had planted weapons in certain premises to frame former DIG Vaas Gunawardena who was convicted along with his son and four others by a trial-at-bar for murdering millionaire businessman Mohamed Shyam.   
Mendis was granted bail along with SSP Shani Abeysekara by the Appeal Court which noted several contradictory positions in complaints made against Mendis that evidently contained fabrications and false versions. Mendis had complained that he was taken in and remanded for refusing to falsely allege that SSP Abeysekara had planted weapons to frame Vaas-Gunawardena and others.