The Sri Lankan government has launched an investigation to, what it has described as a "plot" by the TNA to collect information on atrocities committed during the armed conflict to submit to the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka (OISL), reported The Island.

Police is "hunting" for the TNA's Vavuniya organiser Alva Pulle Vijendrakumar over the claim, the paper added.

Sources told The Island that Vijendrakumar had to be questioned to verify the alleged involvement of two politicians, including an MP, in the collection of evidence, however, he has left his residence and is seeking refuge elsewhere.

A senior investigator said:

"The police searched Vijendrakumar’s residence consequent to the recovery of 25 blank UN war crimes complaint forms from Sinnathamby Krishnarajah, a civilian who had received LTTE training. We took Krishnarajah into custody on October 25 at Mulankavil in the Vanni. Under interrogation, the suspect claimed that he received the blank forms from Vijendrakumar on the afternoon of Oct 22 in Vavuniya."

Mr Krishnarajah, who had lost family members in 2009, was arrested by Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) officers in Kilinochchi last week, accused of distributing evidence collection forms for the OISL.

The unnamed official told The Island that some of the forms recovered were blank save for the signatures, "obviously they were to be completed at the TNA office in Vavuniya on the instructions of its MPs," the official said.

Another official said that the Tamil National People's Front and NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan were also involved in "the project".

Northern Province governor Maj Gen Chandrasiri has sought a clarification from the NPC Chairman CVK Sivagnanam, as to whether Ms Sasitharan had approached the OHCHR with the approval of the NPC.

Sri Lanka's attorney general meanwhile told the Court of Appeal that petitioners should go to the police to complain about a letter to former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay by Tamil councillors in the North-East, saying that a genocide was committed against the Tamil people.

According to The Island, the petitioners said that the councillors from the Northern and the Eastern Province had written to Pillai and made "a false complaint", saying that the Sinhalese were practicing genocide against the Tamils in the North-East.

Related articles:

Tamils fearful of giving evidence to UN inquiry amid govt intimidation says TNA MP (04 Oct 2014)

SLFP to examine NPC resolution calling for OISL access (13 Sep 2014)

'Allow UN investigators in' says Northern Provincial Council (11 Sept 2014)

Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of UN inquiry at opening day of Human Rights Council (08 Sep 2014)

Govt deciding on action against those who submit evidence to UN inquiry (07 Sep 2014)