Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, known as Pillayan, has been further remanded in custody until September 1 in connection with investigations into five fatal shootings that occurred in the Eastern Province in 2008.
Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, was produced before court and ordered to remain in custody until September 1 as investigations continue into multiple murder cases spanning the Eastern Province's Batticaloa District.
According to the Criminal Investigation Department, Pillayan has been named as a suspect in connection with five killings allegedly committed in 2008. The incidents under investigation include the shooting deaths of two individuals, including a former police officer, near the Kallady Murugan Temple in Batticaloa; two fatal shootings on the main road in Kattankudy on May 22, 2008; and another shooting death in Kothiyapulai, Vavunathivu, on August 20, 2008. Police indicated the victims were shot using T-56 assault rifles.
The CID has filed charges before the Matale Magistrate's Court against Pillayan and several other suspects in relation to the alleged offences. The remand extension suggests ongoing investigative work as authorities gather evidence in these historical cases from nearly two decades ago.
