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Alleged assault of finance co. employees: Supreme Court gives leave to proceed
The Supreme Court granted leave to proceed in a fundamental rights petition filed by two leasing company employees who were allegedly assaulted by police officers.

The petitioners Prabath Thilakaratne, a driver of the of Kalutota Investments and Leasing Limited and Ilesingha Sunil, a vehicle seizer, cited Sub Inspectors Rohan Wijeratna, Nadeeka Silva, OIC Jayantha Perera and OIC Talangama Ranjith Dasanayake among others as respondents.

Mr. Thilakaratna said that on August 10, 2005 about eight policemen in civvies and carrying firearms got down from a vehicle and approached Sunil’s vehicle.
He said two men pulled Sunil out of the van, made him kneel and began to assault him.

Thilakaratna said he, Sunil and a few of their friends were handcuffed, blindfolded and taken in the van to an unknown destination. He claimed that the policemen threatened to kill them.

Mr. Thilakaratna said they were kept until August 13 and taken to the Mirihana police station. There they were assaulted and chillie powder thrown at their faces. He said that when they were at the Mirihana police station Sub Inspector Wijeratna came there and claimed that he was the registered owner of a vehicle seized by Sunil and that they would be produced before a magistrate on a charge of possessing offensive weapons. He said that after they were assaulted they were shown to a doctor at the Colombo National Hospital who recommended x-rays to be taken. The police did not take any x-rays but they were taken to the Talangama police station.

The petitioners state that the 1st to the 4th respondents, instigated by the first respondent Wijeratna, have infringed their fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 11, 13(1) and 13(2). The petitioners are still in remand prison.

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