Colombo: Indian arrested over plot to assassinate Sri Lanka President
What's the story
An Indian national who was aware of an alleged plot to assassinate the Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena, has been arrested. The Indian national, identified as M Thomas by Lankan media, was arrested yesterday from the residence of the Anti Corruption Movement Operations Director Namal Kumara, who exposed the assassination plot, CID Chief Inspector Ranjith Munasinghe informed the Fort Magistrate Court. Here's more.
Revelation
Nalaka de Silva discussed plot to assassinate Sirisena with Thomas
Magistrate Jayaratne instructed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to further interrogate Thomas and report the findings to the court. Thomas was arrested when he visited Kumara's home at Warakapola in the southwestern region. Kumara had revealed that the former in-charge of Terrorist Investigation Division DIG Nalaka de Silva discussed with him the alleged plot to kill Sirisena and former Defense Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Transferred
Nalaka has been transferred out of the terrorism bureau
Nalaka was questioned by CID on Kumara's revelations and also transferred out of the terrorism bureau pending investigations. Thomas, who was taken into custody for his alleged links to Kumara, arrived in Lanka on a tourist visa, which he overstayed, the court was told. Meanwhile, the court has ordered to check the authenticity of the sound tapes apparently containing conversations between Kumara and Nalaka.