March 11, 2010: State counsel Dilan Rathnayake, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, assured the Supreme Court yesterday that even though persons arrested under emergency regulations were detained at Army and Navy camps, they continued to remain under the custody of the police.
This statement was made when a petition charging that four emergency regulations violate the fundamental rights of citizens were taken into consideration.
The petition has been filed by M. K.Amitha Priyanthi of Weragala, Payagala.
Attorney at law M. M. Sumandiram, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, pointed out that the petition had been filed in the interest of the public, taking the petitioners personal experience of her brother dying as a result of torture while in the custody of the Payagala police.
“The regulations imposed under emergency law violated two of the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution. The emergency regulations should be lifted as even though it is the Inspector General of Police who decides where the arrested persons are detained, the lives of those who are detained at Army and Navy camps are at risk,” he said.
Responding, the state counsel said that it is the police and not the Army who are responsible for those detained at Army camps.
Thus he noted that the Army cannot in any way exert pressure on the detainees.
Attorney at law M. M Sumandiram informed court that as the Attorney General is assuring court of this with great responsibility, the petition would be withdrawn.
