PTA indictments withdrawn for want of evidence

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 February 2002, 18:10 GMT]
The Supreme Court Monday allowed an application by the Attorney General to withdraw indictments against four Tamil civilians under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for want of evidence. Hence the SC made order discharging the accused.

Four fundamental rights applications filed by the four Tamils Jayanthi Lawrence, Marappan Balasubramaniam, Suntharasinghan Shanthini and Ramalingam Ravikumar were taken up for inquiry before a three member bench of the Supreme Court comprised the Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva, Justices Shiranee Bandaranaike and Ameer Ismail Monday.

The State Counsel representing the AG told court that he had been instructed to withdraw the indictments due to insufficient evidence against the accused to prove their guilt.

The petitioners stated in their applications that they were being detained at Kalutara prison for several years without being charged in courts due to insufficient evidence against them. Their fundamental rights had been violated by the State, as their detention was illegal.