Bharatha killing: Suspects obtained Indian visa weeks before shootout
Two persons arrested and deported from India for their alleged involvement in the assassination of former PA MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra on Oct. 8, had obtained visas from the Indian High Commission several weeks before the shootout.
Authoritative sources told The Island that one suspect had obtained visa on Sept. 21, 2011 and the other on Aug. 23, 2011 for a period of six months.
India handed over the suspects to Sri Lanka on Oct. 13 following a request from Colombo. They are among eight associates of UPFA MP R. Duminda Silva. They are being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with the inquiry.
Colombo additional Magistrate Prasanna de Alwis on Tuesday remanded MP Silva’s bodyguard Anura Thushara de Mel till Nov. 1 pending an identification parade.
Responding to allegations that the suspects had obtained Indian visa within two hours following the shootout, sources said that India handed over the two passports along with the suspects to Sri Lankan authorities. The allegation was made by Bharatha’s siblings at a media briefing held at Hotel Renuka on Tuesday (18). They cited the alleged Indian link to accuse the government of a conspiracy targeting Premachandra.
The allegation was made in the wake of Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s claim of a conspiracy against Premachandra. The allegation prompted the CID to record a statement from the veteran politician.
Asked whether any of Premachandra’s loyalists had been held in connection with the inquiry, sources said that those in custody were connected to MP Silva. The investigators would have to establish the identity of the person, who shot MP Silva during the confrontation.
Contrary to reports, Premachandra hadn’t been shot with a T-56 assault rifle, sources said. At the time of the incident, Premachandra’s police bodyguard had carried a T-56, sources said, emphasizing the importance of establishing the circumstances leading to the shootout. The MP had been shot at point blank range, sources said.
Investigators have so far recovered two T-56 assault rifles, three 3.8 revolvers and 10 pistols belonging to those involved in the shooting.
Courtesy: The Island
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This could confirm VN’s statement to the police of a conspiracy by kudu Duminda and his henchmen to kill Bharatha, the assassins to escape to India and then to another country. Money was no problem.
Would the MR govt now try to save DS bacon? Why? Would the investigations fizzle-out and the assassins, including the criminal DS escape justice?
Nicholas,
My conspiracy theory states external involvement in this matter.
It is likely not to be an in-house conspiracy; GOSL will do good in tracking it down to overseas forces. That Reverend who preaches hatred under the guise of the Global Tamil Forum sickens me.
Duminda Silva is (or was?) a rising star. Who else in the World can be given a supervisory role on the all-powerful Defence Secretary including the delegation to control and direct the Defenece Secretary?
There are unseen hands at work intent on demolishing the good work being carried out by GR in the Defence Ministry.
The Prabakaran ilk hate seeing good work; remember how the blasted Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Neelan Thiruchelvam?
And dear Nicholas, they are still at it.
And dear Nicholas, that’s what we are faced with now.
And dear Nicholas, that’s where my conspiracy theory lies.
Guru,
So called GTF’s self-elected president is a ‘Rev’ Emmanuel. He preaches hate. Chennai chased him out. When is the RC Church going to chase him out. ‘Emmanuel’ means ‘God with us’. I wonder what the Hebrew word is for ‘devil with us’. He is the face of devil. It is contorted with hate. He will have a nice reception in hell by all the devils when he dies.
It is beyond belief that MR appointed this child rapist criminal DS as supervising Minister over GR, his own bro. Does GR need a superviser? DS is not even a senior minister. Only senior ministers are appointed supervisers over younger MPs. So why was this sob appointed a ‘supervising minister’? Surely, GR does not need supervising. Perhaps there is a hidden agenda akin to JR’s and RP’s white van agendas. Kudu-DS’s private army of villains, armed to the teeth with Defence Ministry weapons, would come handy to liquidate MR’s and GR’s enemies. ‘Gini avi ha gini keli’ has begun. This is only pure conjecture. No harm in free thinking.
Interesting times we are in! What is the future for Motherlanka now, with such villains in positions of power? MR is not the statesman we believed in. The bubble has burst. Perhaps he/she has yet to be born to save Motherlanka from State terrorism now.
Dear Guru, will you get something by washing ‘Kudu’..?