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Navy officer and former police constable arrested over murder of Tamil MP

A Sri Lankan navy officer and former police constable have been taken into custody over the murder of Tamil National Alliance MP Nadaraja Raviraj in 2006, reports The Sunday Leader.

A Navy Petty Officer identified as Senevi and a former police constable named Manamperi were reportedly arrested by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID), accused of carrying out the assassination.

The Sunday Leader also reported that the weapon used to gun down the parliamentarian, was reportedly given to paramilitary leader Pillaiyan by Sri Lankan Colonel Shammi Karunaratne, who is currently being detained over the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

Mr Raviraj was assassinated in Colombo in November 2006, at a time when the capital was heavily fortified by Sri Lanka's military. The government was accused of being behind the attacks by the TNA, diaspora organisations and the UNP. The US led international criticism of the government and urged it to conduct an investigation.

Then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered an inquiry and two suspects, Nalaka Mathagaweera and Aruna Shantha Ediriweera, were arrested in 2007. Mr Rajapaksa requested assistance from Britain’s Scotland Yard, who sent a team to work with the Criminal Investigation Department, who looked at evidence. Nothing came of the inquiry.

See our earlier posts:

Raviraj murder suspect released on bail (29 Jun 2015)
 

Raviraj murder suspect files right petition (18 June 2015)

Vehicle used in murder of Tamil MP found (05 June 2015)

DNA tests to be carried out on suspected killers of Tamil MP (21 Apr 2015)


Arrests (again) over killing of TNA MP Raviraj
 (31 Mar 2015)

 

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