There are fears the arrest of Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam is part of a systematic crackdown on his party.
Ponnambalam and his party are being targeted for speaking against the state’s repression of the Tamils, TNPF activists charged during a silent protest in front of Kilinochchi police.
The Kilinochchi magistrate has since lifted a previously-imposed foreign travel ban and granted bail to Ponnambalam.
He was taken into custody in connection with an altercation between him and the police at Mardenkerni in Jaffna on June 02.
That was despite an undertaking by Ponnambalam to be present at Mardenkerni police at 10.00 am on June 08 to give a statement, said party spokesman Kanagaratnam Sugash.
He was taken into custody illegally to prevent him from raising in parliament the assault on him by the police and the breaching of his privileges as an MP, said Sugash.
The TNPF leader raised these with the speaker in writing on June 06, Sugash said, adding that legal action would be initiated against the arrest.
The next hearing of the case has been fixed for September 13.
Two other TNPF activists were also arrested on charges of obstructing police duties.
Observing contradictions between the submissions by the police and video footage of the incident, the magistrate ordered the SSP of Kilinochchi to inquire into the matter.
Condemning the arrest, chief opposition whip Lakshman Kiriella described Ponnambalam as a ‘peace-loving MP’ who is not accompanied by bodyguards.
Kumar Ponnambalam
TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told parliament the TNPF leader’s suspicions of the police were justifiable, since ‘Sunday Leader’ has reported that his father, Kumar Ponnambalam, was gunned down in Colombo by two policemen.
