Killinochchi ACLG files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 September 2007, 11:17 GMT]
Mr.Alvapillai Kandiah Balasubramaniam, Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (ACLG) in Killinochchi district, arrested and kept in remand since June 26 under the Emergency Regulations, Wednesday filed fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking his release. He has cited Borella Police Officer-in-Charge, Inspector General of Police, Defence Ministry Secretary, Commissioner General of Prisons and Attorney General as respondents in his petition, legal sources said.

Mr Balasubramaniam states in his petition that his arrest and detention has violated his fundamental rights.

The petitioner had left Killinochchi in his official vehicle on June 24. He attended a workshop at Anuradhapura on June 25. He arrived in Colombo on the same day evening and stayed in his house at Kirulapone. He was later informed by Borella Police by telephone that claymore mines were recovered from his official vehicle on June 25 night around 11.30 p.m. and his driver was taken into custody.

The police also seized his vehicle. The police also arrested him the next day when he went to the police station and was later produced in Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court under the Emergency Regulations. Since then he has been kept in remand.

The petition stated that he was innocent regarding the alleged offence.