SC grants leave to proceed against Deshabandu and others

Making arrests when protesting against killing of George Floyd  

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Supreme Court has granted leave to proceed against Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and other police officers over the arrest made in respect of protesters at Lipton Circus and Colpetty in 2020, while they were staging a protest over the US police murder of George Floyd.  

Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva and Mahinda Samayawardena granted leave to proceed in respect of two Fundamental Rights petitions under Articles 11, 12(1), 12(2), 13(1), 13(2), 14(1) (a) and 14 (1) (b) of the constitution. 

Twenty-four petitioners including Frontline Socialist Party Leader Kumar Gunaratnam, Duminda Nagamuwa and Attorney-at-law Nuwan Bopage filed these Fundamental Rights petitions against arbitrary, malicious and discriminatory action of the police.  

The Petitioners state that the arrest of the Petitioners are arbitrary, unreasonable, unlawful, and are in violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.  
They maintained that there was no credible complaint implicating the petitioners violating any law or judicial order.  
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris with Counsel Pulasthi Hewamanne and Thanuka Nandasiri appeared for the Petitioners.