Former Tamil parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran expressed his scepticism regarding the credibility of a Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) report which claimed that a Tamil judge who resigned from his posts and fled the island due to death threats, did not face any issues.
Premachandran emphasized that the death threats received by Judge Saravanarajah, which ultimately led to his resignation and departure from the country, cannot be viewed as ordinary threats to life.
The threats and pressure against Saravanarajah stem principally from his involvement in the contentious Kurunthurmalai archaeological site cases. Judge Saravanarajah revealed that various individuals in government had been exerting immense pressure on him to alter his judgements in these cases. He specifically mentioned the threats made by MP Sarath Weerasekara during parliamentary debates and other public forums.
Premachandran contended that these events shed light on the abusive practices of the Sinhala Buddhist state and state apparatus against the judiciary.
The former MP then went on to express his doubts about the objectivity and impartiality of the CID's report on Judge Saravanarajah's case, suggesting that the report would likely lack credibility in any way. The CID, which is notorious for its arrest and torture of Tamils, has exhibited a noticeable bias against Tamil people, Premachandran added.
"We cannot accept the report by the CID," he firmly stated.
