Pillayan remanded until July 13 over Eastern Province murder investigations

Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, was ordered into remand custody until July 13 in connection with investigations into five murders committed in several areas of the Eastern Province. The order was issued when the case was taken up before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court today (30). The Criminal Investigation Department had earlier, on June 15, reported details of the 2008 killings to court. At that hearing, the Magistrate directed Welikada Prison authorities to produce Chandrakanthan, named as the third suspect in the case, at the next session. Accordingly, he was presented before court this morning under tightened security arrangements. (Newswire)