The Attorney General's office has argued before the Court of Appeal that former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Salley should remain in detention, claiming he has obstructed investigations and withheld information.
Former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Salley continues to be held in detention based on sufficient evidence uncovered during an ongoing investigation, according to submissions made by the Attorney General's office to the Court of Appeal today.
Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath told the court that Salley has obstructed the investigation by providing false information and preventing investigators from obtaining relevant materials. Herath highlighted several specific concerns, including inconsistencies regarding Salley's diplomatic passport. According to the Deputy Solicitor General's account, Salley stated during questioning that he had surrendered his diplomatic passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after completing duties at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia. However, he subsequently submitted a certified copy of that same passport to the court, raising questions about the accuracy of his earlier statement. Additionally, only selected pages from both his diplomatic and official passports have been produced to the court.
Herath further noted that Salley initially declined to provide passwords to his mobile phone and computer to investigators, requiring authorities to obtain court orders to access the devices. The Attorney General's office characterised this pattern of conduct as uncooperative throughout the investigation.
Twelve intervening petitions, filed by religious leaders and civil society figures, sought to challenge the legality of Salley's arrest and detention. The Deputy Solicitor General argued these petitions lack valid legal grounds, contending they merely repeat arguments already presented in the main petition and do not constitute matters of public interest. The Court of Appeal is scheduled to rule on September 7 regarding whether to grant leave to proceed with the intervening petitions.
