Mother files HC application for daughter held 8 months under ER

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 May 2007, 12:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal Friday issued notice on the Defence Secretary and five other respondents to appear in court on 6 June on a Habeas Corpus (HC) application filed by a mother seeking her daughter held in detention under Emergency Regulations (ER) to be produced in court. The HC application came up for inquiry before a two-member bench of the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Ranjit Silva (Chairman) and Sisira de Abrew.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Attorney General, Director of Terrorist Intelligence Bureau, Officer in Charge of Boosa Detention Camp, Officer in Charge of Mirihana Police are the other respondents.

The petitioner Pathmanathan Nagulambal, native of Vavuniya and a resident of Kotahena in Colombo, said in her application that her daughter, Thirukumar Nagula, was arrested on 8 September by Mirihana Police when she had gone to the police station to inquire about the arrest of her relation.

Thereafter the Terrorist Intelligence Division (TID) of the Police detained her daughter under the Emergency Regulation (ER) without producing her in any court.

The petitioner has prayed in her application that the court should order the respondents to produce her daughter in court, and subsequently release her.

Mr. Appathurai Vinayagamoorthy, Senior Counsel with Mr.Thanabalasingham Janakan, Attorney-at-Law appeared for the applicant.

The Court of Appeal fixed the inquiry into the HC application for 6 June and ordered the respondents to appear on that day and give their submissions, legal sources said.

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