Sunday, February 5, 2012

Activists missing incident: Relatives’ habeas corpus case on Feb. 15

The Court of Appeal listed for support with notice to the respondents in a Habeas Corpus case filed by the father and the wife of two “Jana Aragala Viyaparaya” members who went missing in Jaffna on December 9. The petitioners Arumugam Weerarajah, father of Weerarajah Lalith Kumara and Muruganandan Janatha wife of Kitnam Muruganandan (Kugan) cited Jaffna Army Commander Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Army Chief Jagath Jaysuriya, Athchuvely Police OIC, IGP N.K. Illangakoon and the Attorney General among others as respondents.

J.C. Weliamuna, attorney for the petitioners, said Mr. Kumara and Mr. Muruganandan went missing while they were travelling on December 9 from Athchuvely to Jaffna to organize a meeting to be held on December 12.

He said the petitioners had complained to the Atchuvely police regarding the disappearance and a few days later the motorcycle which they had travelled on had been found abandoned in a field. The petitioners stated that Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had made a statement at a news conference that Mr. Kumara and Mr. Muruganandan were in custody and that they would be produced in Court. The petitioners said that these persons had no involvement in any activities against the Government and that they were only members of a social justice movement.

Justices Ranjith and H.N.J. Perera directed notice returnable to be issued to the respondents and listed the case for support on February 15.

ST