Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, known as Pillayan, and two Army intelligence informants have been ordered to remain in custody until September 15 in relation to alleged killings that occurred in the Batticaloa district in 2008.
The Batticaloa Magistrate's Court has extended the remand custody of former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, along with two military intelligence informants identified as Mohamed Sifan and Mohamed Sakeed. The decision was delivered on September 1 by the Acting Magistrate via video conference, with the accused appearing from prison through Zoom technology.
The charges relate to a series of violent incidents that took place in 2008 across multiple locations in the Batticaloa district. According to the court documents, these incidents include the shooting of two individuals in Kalladi—one of whom was a police officer—the killing of two people in Kattankudy, one identified as a member of the TMVP political party, and the abduction and murder of a businessman in the Vavunativu–Kareiyan Kandy area. Sources indicate disagreement on the total death toll, with one account referencing five deaths overall.
The three suspects were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in November 2025 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Formal charges were filed on June 17, 2026, against Pillayan, Sifan, Sakeed, and a fourth accused, Mohamed Faiz, a London resident. Since the charges were filed, the three individuals in custody have been continuously remanded. The court has issued an open warrant for Faiz, who remains at large in London and has not been apprehended.
The case will return to court on September 15, when the magistrate will review whether the remand should be further extended or if the accused will be released on bail.