Mahen Ratwatte surrenders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 December 2002, 18:17 GMT]
Mahen Ratwatte, third son of former Deputy Defense Minister General Ratwatte, Tuesday evening surrendered to the Colombo Fort Magistrate in connection with the alleged assault on a leading singer Sunil Perera Saturday early morning at a five star hotel, police said. He was later released on surety bail of Rupees Twenty five thousand by the Colombo Fort Magistrate, legal sources said.

The Police said Mahen would be interrogated and his statement would be recorded Wednesday regarding the alleged assault on Sunil Perera.

Mr.Sunil Perera in his complaint to the Fort Police had stated that a person identified as Mahen Ratwatte had called him to the Hilton Hotel rest room Saturday early morning and assaulted him soon after he sang a popular baila referring to politicians being given free ride in government helicopters.

Singer Sunil Perera said he had every right to sing any song and no one had the right to assault him.

Mr. Mahen Ratwatte who is a director of a Tea Company was absconding since Saturday. The Inspector General of Police Mr.T.E.Anandarajah Monday ordered for the arrest of Mahen Ratwatte based on statements recorded by the Police regarding alleged assault from several persons who were at the scene of incident.

General Ratwatte who along with his two other sons Lohan and Chanuka had obtained release on bail from the Court of Appeal in the case of Udathalawinne massacre of ten Muslim youths on the general election day December 05 last year denied Mahen's involvement in the assault of singer Sunil Perera. General Ratwatte had stated that according to what he heard, his son Mahen had an argument with Sunil Perera after the singer ridiculed Ratwatte family in the baila.