Doctor Shafi Sihabdeen of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital today filed a complaint with the Ministry of Public Security over his arrest and detention in 2019.
Speaking to the media today, Dr. Sihabdeen said that he faced the ordeal due to false allegations made against him for political propaganda and that he has filed a complaint to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
Dr. Sihabdeen further said that he filed a complaint against all who had made false allegations against him, leading to his detention.
“I was arrested without a complaint against me. A complaint was made against me to the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) ruining my career. Another complaint was made to the Bribery Commission concerning my assets. My family and I were brought to a situation of being unable to face society,” he said.
Stating that he and his wife had filed multiple complaints during his five-year trial, but none had been addressed, Dr. Sihabdeen said the complaint filed today was to ensure that those responsible for his ordeal are brought before the law.
Doctor Shafi Sihabdeen filed the complaint after the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court yesterday acquitted him of all charges linked to his arrest and detention in 2019, as the complainants had failed to prove their accusations.
In 2019, Dr. Sihabdeen was sent on compulsory leave after being accused of performing illegal sterilization operations at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.
He was arrested over allegations of the alleged sterilization of women without their consent. Dr. Sihabdeen was also accused of having amassed wealth in an illegal manner and maintaining links with a terrorist organization.
He was later released on bail by the Kurunegala Chief Magistrate after the Criminal Investigation Department informed the Court that investigations carried out had not proven any of the allegations. (Newswire)
