Daily NEWS Srilanka

Former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Anura Senanayaka presently under remand for the last 10 months in connection with Wasim Thajudeen murder made an emotional remark in courts yesterday (16): "Arrest the murderers without tormenting me!"

This is what he told in the presence of Colombo Additional Magistrate, Mr. Jeyaram Trotsky: "My Lord ... it is exactly two years already for the investigation of this complaint. When investigations were 1 year and 3 months, I was taken into custody. About 50 complaints have been lodged in the 'B' Report in respect of the allegation. There's no evidence in any of those ... suitable enough to arrest me as such. I was taken into custody to cover up evidence. This court can provide bail for a statement given by some witness for the accusation of withholding evidence. But the purpose of detaining me under custody on a continuous basis was changed saying that it was a conspiracy for murder. Now I am being remanded for 10 months. Murderers of Mr. Thajudeen must be apprehended somehow or other. Don't avoid that.

My Lord ... before I assumed position of Director of the Criminal Department of Colombo ... there was nobody to take over that post. It was a time when LTTE attacks were targeted at Colombo too. The whole country knows what a fight I launched to make terrorists come down on their feet by being the Director of Colombo Criminal Department. I brought up this point not to request for freedom. I am already suffering mentally and physically for having been kept under remand custody for no purpose. My younger brother who was in the Army died while in service during an attack by LTTE terrorists. My mother is a Ranaviru Mathawa.

My Lord ... I plead not to look at me with the eyes of a criminal. The whole country says that I am responsible for this murder and are awaiting the outcome. Murderers of Mr. Thajudeen should be apprehended immediately. I must question why it hasn't happened even after 2 years. I plead My Lord to provide me some consolation".