Investigators query telecast of censored news

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2000, 06:27 GMT]
Mr. Namal Perera, the news editor of the private TV station TNL was interviewed by the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CID) of the Sri Lankan Police last night for putting out a story that had been censored by the Sri Lankan government's competent authority for the media.

A senior government source said that the news item in question was censored as it could have been exploited by extremists to spread "alarmist falsehoods". A TNL official told TamilNet that Mr.Perera was interviewed at length by the CID.

The TNL official told TamilNet on condition of anonymity that the CID had checked the origin of the story and other details pertaining to the telecast with Mr.Namal Perera when they had interviewed him around midnight.

The Sri Lankan Government has often charged that the TNL is a mouth piece of the opposition United National Party. The TV station is owned by the UNP leader's brother.

Government sources said that the CID had to investigate the newscast in question as it could have been aimed at disrupting communal harmony in a sensitive situation as obtains in Sri Lanka currently.