Sri Lanka’s parliamentary panel to conduct daily hearings in suspended police chief’s case

Colombo, May 29 (PTI) Suspended Sri Lankan police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon is set to appear for hearings daily from June before the parliamentary panel investigating 22 misconduct charges levelled against him that might lead to his removal from office.

Tennakoon made his second appearance before the parliamentary panel on Wednesday. The parliamentary media office said the next sitting is scheduled for June 3, when the Attorney General will submit affidavits on the relevant evidence.

Tennakoon was appointed as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in November 2023 despite being found guilty of torturing a person in custody by the Supreme Court in a fundamental rights petition.

The apex court suspended Tennakoon in July 2024 and ordered a hearing on the legality of his appointment. Parliament appointed a committee of three to investigate the case and report its findings to the Speaker.

During the hearings, Tennakoon would be asked to make his submissions on June 9. Following the cross-examination on June 11, there will be daily hearing from June 16.

Tennakoon faces the prospect of becoming the first individual to be dismissed from office under the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act of 2002, which is meant for the removal of the police chief and the attorney general.

If found guilty, Tennakoon would be removed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake after his address in the parliament.

The disgraced police chief got bail in early April for ordering an illegal raid at a hotel in a southern resort town. He has since sought police protection, claiming the underworld gangs were threatening him. PTI CORR RD NPK RD RD