Pillayan challenges his arrest, detention before Supreme Court
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan Or Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan alias Pillayan
Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan or “Pillayan,” has filed a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court, challenging his recent arrest and detention.
Pillayan was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Batticaloa on April 8, 2025. He was later detained for 90 days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on April 12, 2025. The arrest is related to the abduction and disappearance of Professor Sivasubramaniam Ravindranath, the former Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University.
Through his legal counsel, Pillayan claims that his arrest and detention violate his Fundamental Rights. The petition argues that detaining him under the PTA for questioning is unlawful and seeks a ruling to declare the CID’s actions a violation of his basic human rights.
The petition names several top officials as respondents: Officer-in-Charge of the CID’s Special Investigation Unit, Madhava Gunawardena; CID Director SSP Imesha Muthumala; Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya; the Minister of Defence; and the Attorney General.
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