Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, better known as Pillayan, has been ordered into remand custody until August 4 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The order was issued by Batticaloa Magistrate and District Judge A. Darshini after the suspect was produced before court via online proceedings.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed cases against Pillayan and several others in connection with five murders reported in the Batticaloa District in 2008.
During today’s hearing, three charges linked to killings in Kallady and one additional charge were taken up for examination. After considering submissions, the Magistrate directed that Pillayan remain in custody until August 4.
The CID has filed charges against him over the 2008 shooting near the Murugan Kovil in Kallady, which killed two people including a former police officer, the May 22, 2008 shooting in Batticaloa that left two individuals dead, and the August 20, 2008 killing in Vavuniya where an armed group shot and killed one person.
The CID maintains that Pillayan is implicated in these incidents, which form part of one of the Eastern Province’s most high‑profile homicide cases. (Newswire)