Mannar judge calls SIU bluff

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 May 2001, 18:36 GMT]
The Mannar district judge M.H.M Ajmeer Thursday told officers of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Police that he would have to dismiss about 200 cases filed by them as these have been pending for a almost three years without the Attorney General instituting proceedings against persons who have been charged under the PTA and the Emergency Regulations. The judge rejected the SIU's explanation that the cases are still before the AG's department.

The judge told the SIU in court that he cannot go on granting dates for the cases unless the Police produce in court at least acknowledgements for cases sent to the AG for advice by the SIU.

The Mannar judge asked the SIU to also show in court the reference numbers of the cases it has sent to the AG's department so far. He told the officers of the SIU that he will have to order the acquittal of all the persons accused in the long pending cases, including those who were enlarged on bail.

Legal sources in Mannar say that the CSU/SIU take little interest in expediting the due process of law by sending cases filed by them to the AG to begin proceedings. Hundreds of prisoners languish in prison because of this, the added.

The SIU was formerly located in the camp of the Counter Subversive Unit (CSU) of the Police in Mannar town. The SIU and the CSU were recently brought under the Special Branch of the Police.

Cases filed by the SIU are generally taken up in court on Thursdays and Fridays, legal sources in Mannar said.