Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe attempted to contact Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) while detained at the Criminal Investigations Department, as he had served as a minister in his government, United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale said.
Speaking to reporters in Kegalle yesterday, Thalatha Atukorale said Pillayan was someone who had assisted Ranil Wickremesinghe and had also served as a minister in his government.
Thalatha Atukorale further said that it was his responsibility to inquire if a member of his regime had suddenly been taken into custody, adding that Ranil Wickremesinghe had only fulfilled this responsibility.
Stating that there was no other reason behind this, Thalatha Atukorale said they would like it if they could summon the former President to the CID and question the reason for his attempt to contact Pillayan via telephone.
“There is nothing to hide here. They brought up Batalanda before, now they are holding on to this call. Now they also want to record a statement over his comments related to Chamara Sampath Dassanayake. We are ready to face these. We will not hide things, will not hide ourselves, and people cannot hide as well,” she added.
Thalatha Atukorale made the comments in response to questions raised by reporters on the former President’s request to speak to Pillayan via telephone, after the latter had been arrested and detained by the CID.
However, the request made by the former President had been denied, with Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala stating that the request was denied because it is illegal for a suspect in custody to communicate by phone.
Pillayan was arrested by the CID on April 9 in Batticaloa and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with the abduction and disappearance of a former vice chancellor of Eastern University. (Newswire)