Prime suspect successfully moves SC

PNB-heroin gang links:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Supreme Court has granted the lawyers of Sub Inspector Udara Premasiri, 36, of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) access to the suspect.

The police detained Premasiri in June last year following the exposure of alleged links between a corrupt section of the PNB and heroin dealers. 

The SI who hadn’t been produced in court since his arrest, recently moved the SC against his detention.

The SC Bench consisting of Justice Amarasekara, Justice Wickramasinghe and Justice Wengappuli  subsequent to extensive arguments from both parties, granted leave under Articles 11, 12(1), 13(1), 13(2), 13(3), 13(5), 14(1)(g) and 14(1)(h).

The Court directed the CID to grant access to Premasiri’s counsel to meet him without any hindrance to the Attorney-client privilege.

 Chrishmal Warnasuriya with P. B. Herath, Selvarajah Arjunkumar and Ms. Maduwanthi Konara appeared for the Petitioners while ASG Priyantha Nawana PC and DSG Dileepa Pieris appeared on behalf of the State.

The matter will be taken up again on 1st of July 2021.

The police stepped up investigations after Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC, intervened in the wake of accusations that attempts were being made to suppress the investigations. The AG issued the instructions in respect of the investigation at a meeting he chaired attended by Secretary Defence, Chief of National Intelligence and the IGP.

The alleged PNB-heroin gang link came to light close on the heels of Sub Inspector Premasiri visiting the Minuwangoda police subsequent to the arrest of a brother of an aide to Airport and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga who subsequently declared that the arrest was made on information provided by him. The police altogether arrested nearly 20 officers in connection with this case.

The Attorney General’s Department informed Court that the arrested PNB personnel sold seized heroin stocks to criminals.

The counsel for the suspect told SC that he won 2018 Presidential Award for Excellence of Service and the IGP’s Award for Excellence for the same year.