The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court yesterday (July 4) that the Acting Inspector General of Police has issued a circular outlining the procedure by which individuals summoned to provide statements in connection with complaints must be informed of the contents of such complaints.
The circular has reportedly been distributed to all police stations across the island, said Ada Derana reporter.
This announcement was made during the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by energy expert Vidhura Ralapanawe against the Computer Crimes Investigation Division (CCID) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The petition was taken up before a bench comprising Supreme Court Justices Achala Wengappuli and Sampath Wijeyaratne.
According to the petitioner, he was contacted by an officer of the CCID, who requested a statement regarding an opinion Ralapanawa had posted on social media.
The petitioner states that he inquired about the nature of the complaint, but the officers allegedly refused to disclose any details. He claims that this refusal constituted a violation of his fundamental rights.
The petitioner filed this petition seeking a ruling that the respondent police officers had violated his fundamental human rights by not providing such information.
In response to the petition, the Attorney General informed the court today (04) that, in accordance with a prior undertaking given before the court, a circular had been prepared and issued by the suspended Inspector General of Police, Deshabandu Tennakoon, and relevant officers of the CCID.
Counsel for the petitioner informed the court that his client was satisfied with the issuance of the circular and, as a result, requested that the matter be concluded, said Ada Derana reporter.
Accordingly, the Supreme Court decided to terminate the hearing of the petition.
Suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, Sub-Inspector Thisara of the Computer Crimes Investigation Division, and the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the division were named as respondents in the petition.
