Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, popularly known as Pillayan, was further remanded until August 4 by the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court on Friday after being produced in connection with alleged murders committed in the district in 2008. Chandrakanthan, who was…
Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, popularly known as Pillayan, was further remanded until August 4 by the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court on Friday after being produced in connection with alleged murders committed in the district in 2008. Chandrakanthan, who was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), was produced before Batticaloa Magistrate Annathurai Darshini through video conference, following which the court issued summons for the continuation of proceedings against him. The CID has filed a case before the Matale Magistrate’s Court against Chandrakanthan and several other suspects over five murders allegedly committed in different areas of Batticaloa in 2008. Chandrakanthan is listed as the third accused in the case. The proceedings before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court were related to charges connected to three incidents involving five killings reported in Kallady and another related offence. Several witnesses appeared before court during Friday’s proceedings, while two attorneys-at-law represented Chandrakanthan. After considering submissions, the court ordered that he remain in remand custody until August 4. Meanwhile, a separate Kallady land dispute case was postponed until October 29. The court also issued an arrest warrant for the first accused in that case, who is currently overseas. The CID commenced investigations into the murder cases following information regarding killings allegedly carried out using T-56 assault rifles in 2008. Chandrakanthan has been named as a suspect in connection with several incidents, including the shooting deaths of two persons, one of them a former police officer, near the Kallady Murugan Temple in Batticaloa; the killing of two individuals on the main road in Kattankudy on May 22, 2008; and the death of another person in an armed group shooting in Kothiyapulai, Vavunathivu, on August 20, 2008.
