Compensation ordered in fundamental rights case

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 October 1999, 09:50 GMT]
The Supreme Court ordered the state to pay a compensation of Rs. 10,000 to Ponniah Ravichcandran (34) of Pandiruppu, Batticaloa, in a fundamental rights' violation case.

Attorney-at-law Perinpam Premnath appeared on behalf of the petitioner.

Premnath submitted that the petitioner, who was arrested by the Police on 6 June 1996 at Sathurukkondan had been tortured in the police custody and argued that the arrest and detention of Ravichcandran was illegal.

According to the medical report furnished in the court, the petitioner had been subjected to severe torture in police custody.

The three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprised Justices N.Weeraretna, S.Waduguodapitiya and D.P.S. Gunasekara held that the fundamental rights of the petitioner had been violated and ordered that Rs. 10,000 be paid as compensation to the petitioner.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General has indicted the petitioner Ponniah Ravichandran in the Colombo High Court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

He has been charged for obtaining arms training from the LTTE and for not providing information about the movements of the LTTE in his area to military authorities.

This case is to be taken up for inquiry on 19th October, court sources said.