Raviraj killing: Sufficient evidence for indictment

While concluding the non-summary inquiry in connection with the murder of former TNA Jaffna district MP Nadaraja Raviraj, Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage yesterday observed that there is sufficient evidence to indict the seven accused in the High Court on four charges including the killing of MP and his driver in Narahenpita in 2006.

Meanwhile, the Additional Magistrate ordered the Magistrate's Court registrar that case recordings pertaining to the matter be forwarded to the Colombo High Court.

The CID filed charge sheets in Court against seven accused including four Navy personnel, two ex-LTTE cadres affiliated to the Karuna faction, on four counts for allegedly conspiring to commit the murder of the former TNA MP and his driver, for the charge of unlawful assembly, aiding and abetting to commit the murder and committing the murder of the former TNA MP and his driver.

The Attorney General had given instructions to conduct a non-summary inquiry in respect

of the seven accused-Palana Sami Suresh, Hettiarachchilage Prasath Chandana Kumara, Gamini Seneviratne, Pradeep Chaminda, Sivakanthan Vivekanandan alias Charan, Fabian Royston Toussaint and Sampath Munasinghe.

The Court had permitted the prosecutors to proceed with the non-summary inquiry in the absence of Sivakanthan Vivekanandan alias Charan and Palana Sami Suresh who are believed to have left the country and a warrant was issued for their arrest. Raviraj was shot dead near his residence at Manning Town in Narahenpita in 2006 while driving his vehicle along Martha Road.

The CID recovered the trishaw and the weapon allegedly used in the killing of the former parliamentarian. Senior State Counsel Dilan Ratnayake appeared for the Attorney General.