Raviraj murder inquiry fixed for January 2

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 19:24 GMT]
The Colombo Additional Magistrate Sujatha Alahakoon Friday fixed the inquiry into the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj, Jaffna district parliamentarian, for January 2, legal sources in Colombo said. Mr.Raviraj was killed on November 10, 2006 at Naharenpitya in Colombo. The police took two suspects, Nalaka Mathan Veera and Anura Shantha, into custody on suspicion.

Both suspects were produced in court Friday when the case was taken up for further inquiry.

The police moved that the court should order further remand for the two suspects until the inquiry into the murder was completed.

Accordingly the court ordered further remand for the suspects and directed the police to forward its findings to the Attorney General for his report.

The court further directed the police to submit the report of the AG on the next date, legal sources said.

Originally from Chavakachcheri, born on 25 June 1962, Raviraj attended higher studies at Chavakachcheri Drieberg College and St. John’s College, Jaffna.

He was enrolled as an Attorney at Law in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in November 1987.

Raviraj appeared in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and in High Courts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Jaffna and elsewhere in the south. His Law Firm, Raviraj & Associates, specialised in cases under Prevention of Terrorism Act, and Emergency Regulations.

Raviraj also worked as a human rights lawyer in Colombo, Home for Human Rights, from 1984 to 1990, and from 1993 till 1997, before embarking on a political career, first appointed as Deputy Mayor of Jaffna Municipal Council.

He joined the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in 1987, became Central Committee Member in 1990 and the party's legal advisor in 1998. He was appointed as a member of political bureau of the party in 2000.

Raviraj was appointed Mayor of Jaffna 2001 and appointed as administrative secretary of the party.

He was elected as Member of Parliament for Jaffna District in 2001 general elections and re-elected in 2004.

Raviraj participated in the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), chaired by Srithunga Jayasooriya, and comprising Mano Ganesan MP (Colombo District), Vasudeva Nanayakara MMC, Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne, and Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy to monitor extra judicial killings, abductions and disappearances.

Raviraj is a father of a teenage daughter, and a 11 year old son. His wife, Sasikala, has an MA degree, and is a teacher at Bishops Convent in Colombo 3.

Chronology: