Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Southern Province Ajith Rohana had previously informed Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunathilaka in writing that the transfer given to him was illegal and therefore he would not implement the illegal transfer. It is reported that a spokesperson of the police headquarters has said that this transfer was done with the intervention of the Minister of Law and Order Tiran Alas with the aim of protecting a certain senior DIG.
At the same time, Priyantha Weerasuriya, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Central Province, has also sent a letter to the Police Commission stating that the transfer given to him is illegal and unjust, and that he strongly opposes the transfer. In that letter, he has requested not to approve the transfer given to him.
IGP Chandana Wickramaratne issued orders yesterday (25) transferring seven senior DIGs. In the transfer order, it was stated that these transfers are done as per the approval given by the letter of the Public Security Ministry Secretary No. 02/08/SGO/02/2023.
The Attorney General’s Department has given written instructions to the Inspector General of Police regarding Deshbandu Tennakoon, who holds the position of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province, but the Inspector General of Police has not implemented it, after receiving the letter from the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, to focus on the actions that can be taken against the Inspector General of Police against the implementation of transfer orders in Melasa. It is said that four senior DIGs who have been transferred have discussed. It is said that the Inspector General of Police is not bound to implement illegal orders, and several civil activists are also ready to file a complaint against the Inspector General of Bribery or Corruption to the Investigative Commission for the implementation of illegal orders.
Police department sources say that it is special that three of the five senior DIGs who have been proposed to be appointed for the post of the next IGP were transferred yesterday. They say that it is special that only Nilantha Jayawardene, who was recommended by the Supreme Court to take disciplinary action, and Deshabandu Tennakon, who was even suggested to be transferred by the Attorney General, have not received transfers from those five.
This is the third transfer for Lalith Patinayake and Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasuriya who are on the transfer list after April 1, 2022. It is said that the rest of the group were transferred within the last year or one and a half years, and the senior DIG in charge of the Western Province, who has been in charge of the same area for the longest time, has not yet received a transfer. Sources at the police headquarters say that Lalith Patinayake, who is above him in the seniority register and who was appointed as Senior DIG on the same day, received a number of transfers within this three-year period.
Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasuriya, who is opposing his transfer, has been transferred several times within a very short period of time as Senior DIG Assistant Services, Senior DIG Crime, Senior DIG North Western Province, Senior DIG Eastern Province and Senior DIG Central Province. has. In his letter to the Police Commission, it is further stated that the administration of senior DIGs may collapse and public trust may be undermined due to such arbitrary transfers from time to time.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ajith Rohana has informed the Police Commission in writing that his transfer was illegal and unconscionable, that the Law and Order Minister blamed him in a meeting held on April 18. After that, it is said that he was called to his office a few days ago and blamed for the fact that the southern province has lost control of the police. It is mentioned in the letter sent by Mr. Ajith Rohana to the Police Commission that the veracity of the minister’s statement can be determined by comparing the crime reports and crime solving statistics of the Southern Province and the Western Province.
Mr. Ajith Rohana said in his letter to Public Security Ministry Secretary Mr. Viani Gunathilaka that he will not implement this transfer as the decision to transfer him is illegal, and the disciplinary officers are not bound to implement illegal orders.
It is said that there is currently a discussion in the society about these transfers
.