Yet another drama enacted by former UNP Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake went viral on social media as the actor turned politician was once again arrested on Monday (April 13) on charges of obstructing Police duties and remanded till April 20 when he was produced before the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (April 14). A video circulating on social media supposed to have been filmed by a Police officer showed the former lawmaker in a heated argument with Police officers,who prevented his physiotherapist from entering the Madiwela MP’s Housing Complex during the curfew at the entrance to the Complex. Ramanayake who claimed that his physiotherapist had brought vegetables and sacks of rice in his car denied any wrongdoing at the time of his arrest.
The media had reported that on April 13 around 11.20 a.m., a person from Piliyandala had arrived at the Madiwela former MP’s complex in a cab without a valid curfew permit and had told the Police officers on duty that he wanted to meet Ranjan Ramanayake. When he was being questioned as he did not have a valid curfew pass, he had taken a phone call and shortly after Ramanayake had come on the scene. He had verbally abused the Police officers and threatened them and tried to forcibly take the person in the cab into the MP’s Housing complex. At this point, the Mirihana Police had taken steps to arrest the cab driver on charges of having violated curfew laws and Ramanayake was arrested for having aided and abetted the suspect and also for having obstructed the duties of the Police officers.
However, Ramanayake who broadcast his arrest in a live stream on his Facebook page said, “this is very unfair and the Government doesn’t like us distributing goods.” He claimed that he had only been involved in distributing dry rations for those affected by the coronavirus and denied any wrongdoing. Ramanayake found himself mired in controversy after he was arrested twice in January this year – first for being in possession of an unlicensed pistol and for recording telephone conversations of many prominent people. Following his arrest, he actor turned politician rocked the political, legal and law enforcement establishments with the release of dozens of audio recordings. The massive hoard of audio recordings include telephone conversations between cinema idol Ramanayake and numerous people including judges prosecuting major cases, top Police investigators, senior politicians including former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as well as film actresses. The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) launched a major investigation into the multiple strands of conspiracy and personal dealings seemingly revealed in Ramanayake’s recordings.
During the week, several Government lawmakers who commented on the UNP’s call to reconvene Parliament said that there is no need whatsoever to reconvene Parliament at this juncture. Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the UNP under the pretext of the corona outbreak attempts to somehow postpone the elections until September 20. By doing so, they try to compel the President to reconvene the dissolved Parliament. At present, the UNP says mildly that the election cannot be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and gives a wrong impression that the country cannot be ruled only through the powers vested in the President. Therefore, the UNP says what should be done now is to reconvene Parliament. This is a very bankrupt and crafty political stance that clearly shows the UNP’s disagreement with the setting up of a new Parliament due to fears of their representation in it. Former State Minister, Dilum Amunugama, also told the media that at this crucial juncture, certain sections attempt to fish in troubled waters. First, we should try our best to get rid of this catastrophic situation. We all know the election was postponed as there is no conducive environment to conduct an election at this juncture. Amunugama said however, we have three months’ time until June to conduct the election. We don’t think the prevailing situation would continue until June. The President and the Special Presidential Task Force work with much dedication to turn the country’s situation to normalcy soon. Our situation is under control when compared with other countries which face similar disasters. We believe we would be able to conduct the elections before the end of three months when the situation is under control. Even former lawmaker,Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has said that 17 days prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, Indian intelligence sources provided information that Zaharan and his gang would launch multiple terrorist attacks and had even confirmed the times and locations of them. The former Yahapalana Government couldn’t even prevent those terrorist attacks during their tenure in office so what are they are going to do now by reconvening Parliament.
Former lawmaker, Udaya Gammanpila, had also expressed the opinion that the Election Commission has been given full power to conduct the election. At present, Parliamentary Election has been postponed due to the prevailing corona outbreak in the country. It has been practically proved that even postponing of the election is a power vested with the Election Commission and is not a power exercised by the President. At this juncture, the Government has not made any attempt to conduct an election nor does it have such an intention. That is why the Government didn’t give any explanation when the election was indefinitely postponed by the Election Commission. That is the Election Commission’s right and it has to be done in keeping with the ongoing situation. The Government has never said the election should be conducted without considering the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The President is only legally bound to reconvene the dissolved Parliament to declare a State of Emergency. The President is of the view that the existing rules and regulations are sufficient to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The Government through action has already proved it to the entire world. Therefore, there is no need whatsoever to reconvene Parliament nor is there a legal provision for it.
Riyadh Bathiudeen, brother of former Minister and ACMC Leader Rishad Bathiudeen was arrested in connection with alleged links to the Easter Sunday suicide attacks which took place on April 21 last year. A special team of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested Riyad Bathiudeen in Puttalam on April 14. The Police said the arrest was made over alleged links to the Easter Sunday attacks that took place on April 21 last year. He is expected to be questioned on information received in connection with the series of attacks on Easter Sunday. (Earlier, former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen making a statement in May last year said his brother was questioned by the Mannar Police in relation to the attack and released. )Issuing a media statement, former Minister Bathiudeen said the arrest of his brother Riyadh Bathiudeen by the CID in connection with the Easter Sunday suicide attacks last year is clearly political revenge against him. Bathiudeen vehemently denied that he or his family are involved with these terrorist attacks and stressed that they were and will always be against terrorism. The former Minister said he and his brother will provide full support for the investigations conducted by the Police and CID with regard to the attacks. However, Police Media Spokesman SP Jaliya Senaratne at a special press conference at the Department of Government Information on Wednesday (April 15) said that investigations have revealed that Riyadh Bathiudeen–brother of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has had direct links with an Easter Sunday suicide bomber. The Police spokesman said on a day close to April 21, Riyadh Bathiudeen had met with one of the suicide bombers at a reputed hotel.
Meanwhile, former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday (April 16). He was summoned by the CID to record a statement with regard to a land in Mannar. He had left after giving a statement to the CID for around four hours. Allegations have been levelled against Bathiudeen over the purchase of 40 acres of land worth Rs.24 million in Talaimannar. In January, Rifkhan Bathiudeen, the brother of Bathiudeen was ordered to be remanded till February 2020 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate for allegedly obtaining the possession of the land on a fraudulent deed. In February this year, the CID commenced investigations into 227 questionable deeds which were found during a raid of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s private residence. After that, Minister Wimal Weerawansa addressing the media said the documents relating to corrupt deals at Sathosa were among the seized documents. The Minister called on the Inspector General of Police to commence investigations into the questionable documents relating to corrupt deals which were made during the previous Yahapalana regime.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa chaired a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (April 15) to explore the possibility of the immediate resumption of day-to-day economic activities at provincial levels in order to safeguard the national economy. Several representatives of the health sector including all Provincial Directors of Health briefed the President on the situation in the country. The President instructed the Provincial Directors of Health to make necessary recommendations required to maintain normal activities in the industrial, agricultural and business sectors through the Director General of Health. Decisions to relax current restrictions will be taken only after consideration of the health situation at each provincial level. One of the main objectives is to pay special attention to the livelihood of daily wage workers. Individuals who are infected with the corona virus in each province, people they have associated with and the current quarantine process were some of the topics discussed. Attention was also paid to the system of identifying infected people on a daily basis. The President also inquired about the present conditions at quarantine centres and the changes which need to be made. The provincial health authorities told the President that measures taken by the Government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country were effective compared to the rest of the world. President Rajapaksa has said that the prevailing situation also provides an opportunity to assess the current situation as well as to pay attention to the steps which should be taken to improve the strategy, a communiqué issued by the President’s Media Division said.
Archbishop of Colombo, Malcom Cardinal Ranjith on Thursday (April 16) urged the Government not to hold elections at this point due to the volatility of the coronavirus outbreak. He told reporters at a press conference at the Bishops Office in Colombo that the country should not go to the polls until no more new cases are reported. Addressing the media on Thursday at the commemoration event on the first anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, Cardinal Ranjith said the Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka was still not under control. He said “I don’t think this is an appropriate time to hold elections. As of this morning, there were 238 Covid-19 infected persons and there are thousands more under quarantine in detention centres countrywide. It is clear we have not been able to contain the situation.” He further said that the reports of new cases should cease before the situation could be considered as under control. Cardinal Ranjith said when there has been a prolonged period of time without any reports of new Covid-19 cases then we can say that things are better and the situation is under control. Therefore, I don’t think we should have elections at this particular time Cardinal Ranjith said, adding that elections are not and should not be the priority. He also told reporters that the sombre events planned for the first anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks last year have been cancelled due to the COVID 19 threat. We planned for events at the shrine of St Anthony at Kochchikade and at St Sebastian’s at Katuwapitiya but those events are cancelled. Therefore, he called on all Sri Lankans to observe two minutes silence at 8:45 am on April 21 in remembrance of the victims.