03rd July 2021 13:48:08 Hours
(Media Release)
Major General Mohan Rathnayake, General Officer Commanding, 21 Division HQ who voluntarily arrived at the Police this morning (1) after his involvement in a brawl with a team of Wildlife Department officials in Habarana area on Friday (25) appeared before Kekirawa Magistrate Court and granted bail on two sureties.
The Senior Officer in question soon after the incident lodged a formal complaint with the Habarana Police Station on 25 June 2021 although he had not been summoned, to-date either for an inquiry or a statement until his own appearance this morning (1st July) at the Police station as Media reports blamed the Police for its failure to arrest the said Officer who was on a private visit at the time of the incident. The Officer expects to sue against defamation and insults inflicted and the next hearing has been fixed for 03 February 2022.
General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army on 26 June 2021, hours after the said Senior Officer's involvement in a heated altercation with a team of Wildlife Department officials was reported, action was immediately taken to appoint a Board of Inquiry, headed by two Senior Major Generals to find and verify facts, related to the whole incident since Police complaints have been lodged. This inquiry still underway was in addition to a parallel Military Police investigation that came into effect soon after the incident. (Ends)
