Ranil Wickremesinghe’s request to meet Pillayan rejected

The request made by former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold discussions with former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan or “Pillayan,” who is currently in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under a detention order, has been rejected.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, stated that former President Wickremesinghe had submitted a request to the CID seeking permission to speak with Chandrakanthan, who is presently under arrest.

It is reported that a security officer of the former President contacted CID officials by phone and requested that such a meeting be arranged.

However, Minister Wijepala said the request was denied, as it is illegal to communicate by phone with a suspect in custody.

Nevertheless, former Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila was granted permission to meet and hold discussions with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan.

It is said that Gammanpila made this request to the CID, stating that he was acting as the legal representative of the suspect and needed to consult with him.

Accordingly, Minister Wijepala further stated that Gammanpila visited the CID recently and was granted the opportunity to meet and speak with Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan.

He added that the discussion took place in the presence of CID officials.

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was arrested by the CID on April 8, 2025, in Batticaloa in connection with the abduction and disappearance of former Eastern University Vice Chancellor, Professor Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath.

Following his arrest, the court granted the police permission to detain and question him for a period of 90 days.

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