Raviraj murder suspects further remanded

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 22:31 GMT]
Colombo Additional Magistrate Ms Sujatha Alahaperuma Thursday ordered further remand for the two suspects in the Nadaraja Raviraj murder case till June 4th and directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to communicate immediately with the Attorney General to find out what action they should take against the suspects, legal sources said.

Two suspects Nalaka Mathagaweera and Aruna Shantha Ediriweera were produced in court.

The prosecution moved for time to seek the advice of the Attorney General. The defense counsel objected the application by police stating that every time the police had been moving for further date without giving valid reason. Hence the suspects have been languishing in remand for more than eighteen months on false excuses.

The CID in reply said they were still investigating the suspects and had to record statements from many others connected with the case.

Nadaraja Raviraj, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian was shot dead in Naharenpitya on November 10, 2006 when he was traveling in his vehicle

Meanwhile, the case files in the Raviraj murder case have been referred to the Commission investigating Serious Violations of Human Rights and to the Attorney General Department on the orders of President Mahinda Rajapakse. The case has been listed for investigation by the commission, its secretary S.D.Piyadasa told media.