Karannagoda cleared: Petition against withdrawal of indictment dismissed

Wartime abductions: AG submits confidential report to Court

By Chitra Weerarathne

The Court of Appeal, yesterday (10) dismissed the Writ Application filed by the petitioner parents against the Attorney General’s decision to withdraw the indictment against Admiral of the Fleet Admiral Wassantha Karannagoda.

The Admiral was indicted in the High Court of Colombo, pertaining to the wartime abduction of 11 persons in Colombo and its suburbs.

The Court said that the petitioner had no prime facie case to challenge the Attorney General’s decision. There was no legal basis for the petition, which was therefore dismissed without notice on the respondents.

 Among the respondents are Karannagoda and the Attorney General.

 The parents of the missing children had filed the Writ Application against a consideration of the Attorney General’s request to withdraw the indictment against wartime Navy Chief the then Vice Admiral Karannagoda.

 Counsel Nuwan Bopage appeared with Achala Seneviratne for the petitioner parents of those who had been abducted.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva appeared with Sugath Caldera for Karannagoda, who is a respondent in the petition.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle President’s Counsel, appeared for the Attorney General, who had submitted to Court, a confidential report, on why he wanted to withdraw the indictment.

The Bench comprised Justice Sobitha Rajakaruna and Justice Dhammika Ganepola.

The Writ Application filed in the Court of Appeal by Admiral Vassantha Karannagoda, seeking a Mandatory Order on the Attorney General, to withdraw the Indictment against him, was fixed for hearing December 8.

The Bench comprised Justice Sobitha Rajakaruna and Justice Dhammika Ganepola.