Journalist arrested

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
At around 8.30 p.m. today, Mr. Gajan, a journalist with the 'Veerakesari', the Tamil daily with largest circulation in the island, was taken from the paper's offices for interrogation by officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo.

While returning to his office after going out to buy his dinner, Mr. Gajan was stopped by three CID officials in plain clothes, who had been waiting at the entrance of the paper office, said sources.

The sub-editor and others working at the office had pleaded with the CID officials to release Kajan. However, the CID officials had given them the name of a senior police officer and told them to direct their appeals to him, said sources.

The Sri Lankan Deputy Media Minister, Mr. Alawi Mowlana, has been informed about the detention of the journalist, said sources.