The Attorney General had instructed Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne to transfer Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon.
The AG had instructed the IGP to implement this transfer with immediate effect.
It is believed that SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon’s transfer is to ensure there is no interference in the investigations that are being carried out currently over the incidents that took place on May 9. Senior DIG Tennakoon has come under fire from several quarters over the May 9 incidents and for not taking steps to prevent the groups from Temple Trees heading towards Galle Face to confront the protesters at GotaGoGama and MainaGoGama opposite Temple Trees. There were also photos of the SDIG with MP Sanath Nishantha during the protest, circulating over social media. MP Sanath Nishantha was taken into custody over the incident on May 9.
While the SDIG’s name was also among the list of persons to be arrested, in his statement to the Human Rights Commission, Tennakoon had said that while he had taken all steps to prevent the group from Temple Trees heading towards Galle Face, the IGP and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security had advised min to do nothing as the Rajapaksa brothers would eventually unite and he would be penalized.
However, the order to transfer SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon is seen as a step being taken to ensure that there is no interference with the investigations as the SDIG is directly named in this incident.
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