The UNP yesterday charged there was a move to arrest Puttalam District Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara by fabricating evidence against him.
UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella told a news conference yesterday that moves were afoot by a senior police officer in the North Western Province to arrest Mr. Range Bandara on false evidence.
Mr. Kiriella said one of the charges that was made against Mr. Range Bandara was that he had harassed one of his security personnel.
He said this security officer had lodged a complaint with the Police Headquarters stating that a senior police officer in the North Western Province had applied undue influence on him to state that Mr. Range Bandara has harassed him.
The said police officer had allegedly threatened him saying that a white van would be sent to destroy him.
He said another false evidence had been fabricated against the UNP MP stating that firearms has been found in a vehicle which Mr. Range Bandara has rented. This firearm was reported to be one which he had legally purchased from the commercial division of the Navy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kiriella also alleged that a senior police officer had sent faxed name lists of UNP supporters in the area to all police stations in the Nuwara Eliya District requesting them to arrest these supporters
“This kind of harassment is unleashed by the government as it is facing defeat in this district,” he said. He charged that the government was using the police to harass its opponents and thereby gradually unleashing state terrorism. “Government is avoiding implementing the 17th Amendment of the Constitution for this reason,” he further charged. - Daily Mirror
