Sri Lanka arrests top policeman over alleged president assassination plot

Author: Agencies

A top Sri Lankan police official was arrested on Thursday over a suspected plot to kill President Maithripala Sirisena, police a spokesman said.

The alleged plot briefly threatened to cause tension between Sri Lanka and India, after an Indian newspaper report that Sirisena had accused India’s intelligence services of involvement – a claim New Delhi and Colombo have both denied.

“The Criminal Investigation Division of police today arrested Nalaka De Silva after five days of questioning him,” police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Gunasekara said Silva was accused of plotting to kill the president, several senior police officials and a former defence secretary.

Magistrates ordered Silva, a deputy inspector general of police, be detained until Nov. 7.

A police informant made the allegations against Silva in a news conference. Investigators are seeking access to deleted data from the informant’s mobile phone with the help of Huawei after a court granted permission to request the company’s help.

A Huawei spokesman said the company had received no such request from Sri Lanka and declined to comment further.

Silva’s lawyers were not immediately available for comment.

Published in Daily Times, October 27th 2018.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Editorial

Border Order

The western borders of Pakistan are edging dangerously close to becoming a full-fledged war zone.…

4 hours ago
  • Editorial

Rain Pain

In the age of below-normal rainfall this winter, the debate over the delicate balance between…

4 hours ago
  • Cartoons

TODAY’S CARTOON

4 hours ago
  • Op-Ed

Kaleidoscope of Transformation and Triumph

The year 2024 proved to be a defining chapter in Pakistan's history, marked by monumental…

4 hours ago
  • Op-Ed

From Shared Beginnings to Divergent Paths

Pakistan and Bangladesh share historical roots, language, and culture, having been one nation until 1971.…

4 hours ago
  • Op-Ed

Pakistan’s Food Export Paradox

Pakistan's food export sector is a story of paradoxes: while boasting record-breaking breakthroughs, it remains…

4 hours ago