Tamil Political Prisoner released after 10 years in jail

Jeyaram Ramanathan of Kilinochchi, who had spent 10 after being arrested under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was released yesterday by the special High court.

He was arrested by the CID under the PTA in the year 2007.

He was accused of plotting to blast the Colombo – Kattunayake Railway line, surveillance of the activities of a High ranking Army Officer, and having explosives in possession. 3 individual charge sheets were filed on him by the Attorney General in the Colombo Special High Court.

In the truth finding inquiry, for determine  whether the  a confession was voluntarily given by the accused, which was the only evidence  submitted by the prosecution against the accused, defence counsel , Senior AAL, K.V.Thavarasa pointed out the discrepancies in the testimonies of Assistant Superintendent of Police, Translator and the Typist, the Special high Court judge Piyasena Ranasinghe, decided that the confession had not been obtained and ordered to submit any other evidence.

Consequent to the prosecution AAL informing the court that there are no other evidence, the judge released the accused from all three charges. While the  State AAL, Viraj Weerasooriya appeared for the prosecution, Senior AAL, K.V. Thavarasa appeared for the defence assisted by Tharmaja Thambirajah and Anoma Priyatharsini.