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Tamil Nadu: No default bail to Lanka nationals linked to LTTE
The Madras High Court denied default bail to a few Lankans who were part of an LTTE operation to steal `40 crore from the bank account of a dead woman in Mumbai by fabricating documents.
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court denied default bail to a few Sri Lankans who were part of an LTTE operation to steal Rs 40 crore from the bank account of a dead woman in Mumbai by fabricating documents.
A division bench of justices PN Prakash and RMT Teekaa Raman recently dismissed the appeals filed by two of the accused, Kenniston Fernando and K Baskaran. They challenged a sessions court order extending their remand to 180 days and sought default bail.
According to the order, LTTE men noticed Rs 40 crore in the account of Hamida A Lalljee, a dead woman, in the Mumbai Fort branch of Indian Overseas Bank. A key LTTE operative Umakanthan aka Idhayan aka Charles aka Iniyan, stationed in Europe, kept an eye on the account. On his directions, a Sri Lankan Tamil, Letchumanan Mary Franciska, came to India and obtained Aadhaar, PAN and an Indian passport in her name.
Kenniston Fernando, K Baskaran, C Johnson Samuel, G Dharmendran and E Mohan created a fake power of attorney to show as though Hamida had given it in favour of Mary Franciska. But, she was caught at the Chennai Airport on October 1, 2021, and was handed over to the Q Branch of TN police. Subsequently, a few of the accused were arrested and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other acts.At the end of the 90-day remand, the special public prosecutor filed a report at the Chengalpet Sessions Court under the first proviso to section 43 D(2) of UAPA for an extension of remand as the investigation required more time.
The judge accepted the report and issued orders on January 3, 2022. Later, the investigation was handed to the National Investigation Agency. Subsequently, the case was moved to the Special Court for Exclusive Trial of Bomb Blast Cases at Poonamallee.The division bench found as “factually incorrect” the submission of the counsel for the appellants that the bail was rejected without hearing the accused since a report was filed in the court by the special public prosecutor for Q Branch in December 2021.
Saying that the indefeasible right for default bail stood extinguished given the fact that the default bail application was moved after the final report had been filed in the case; and the challenge to the order extending remand to 180 days was made after three months, the judges dismissed the appeals as being “devoid of merits”.(Indian Express)
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
