Media barred from reporting on Dinesh Schaffter’s death

• A Police Sub Inspector had prevented media personnel from accessing the courtroom to record court proceedings and prevented journalists from taking notes of the court proceedings

By T.Farook Thajudeen  

The Magisterial inquiry into the death of Janashakthi Insurance Company Director was scheduled to taken up in open Court before Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya of Court No 2. At the onset of the magisterial inquiry before the Magistrate in open court Counsel who watched the interest of the wife and the witnesses moved court to take up the inquiry in camera in the chamber of the Magistrate. 

Consequently the Magistrate took up the inquiry in the chamber and journalists who were present in court to report the proceedings of the inquiry were prevented from reporting the case. In the intervening time a Police Sub Inspector had prevented media personnel from accessing the courtroom to record court proceedings and prevented journalists from taking notes of the court proceedings.

However, according to reliable sources during the inquiry the wife of deceased Dinesh Schaffter and the Executive Officer of Janashakthi Insurance Company Mr. Perera had given evidence led by the Police.