The Kalmunai Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the statement of a High Court Judge identified as a suspect in a criminal case be recorded and that a final report or charge sheet be filed on or before 11 February 2026. The case was accordingly postponed to that date.

The order follows allegations that the suspect threatened Notary Public Mohamed Haneefa over the telephone and obstructed him from performing his official duties.

When the matter was taken up in open court on Wednesday (21 January) before Kalmunai Magistrate K. L. M. Sajith, the Periya Neelavanai Police informed court that the suspect’s statement had not yet been recorded and that legal advice was still pending from the Police Legal Division in respect of the case file.

Police therefore, sought a further date to report to court after receiving the required advice.

Objecting to the request, Attorney-at-Law Mubarak Muazzam, appearing for the virtual complainant, submitted that despite a clear order issued at the previous hearing directing the police to record the suspect’s statement, investigating officers were repeatedly seeking postponements. Instructions had also been given to file a final report under Section 120(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, or a charge sheet under Section 136(1)(b), the attorney said.

He alleged that the delays were intended to obstruct the progress of the case and urged the court to issue a firm directive to ensure compliance in the interests of justice.

After hearing submissions from both sides, the Magistrate ordered the Periya Neelavanai Police to record the suspect’s statement and file the final report, and postponed the case to 11 February 2026.

Attorney-at-Law Mubarak Muazzam and Attorney-at-Law Nithanshan appeared for the virtual complainant.

The case stems from a complaint lodged in 2022 by Mahadevan Muralitharan, which resulted in a B report being filed before the Kalmunai Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that the suspect threatened Notary Public Mohamed Haneefa to prevent him from executing a transfer deed, constituting offences under Sections 344 and 486 of the Penal Code.

Court-ordered telecommunications records subsequently confirmed that the suspect had made the call to the notary, leading to his identification. (Newswire)

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A 55-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman have been arrested for allegedly defrauding around Rs. 100 million, by claiming to give freehold deeds under the ‘Urumaya’ national programme.

According to the Police, the suspects were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for financially defrauding 164 business owners in 2024. 

The female suspect, a resident of Bakamuna, was arrested on August 26 and remanded, while the male suspect, a resident of Maharagama, was arrested on September 29. 

It was revealed during the investigation that the woman had allegedly convinced 164 persons in Kalmunai to provide deeds under the “Urumaya” freehold deed program, and had then taken a sum of Rs. 600,000 from each person, pretending to be a lawyer.

Furthermore, it was revealed that the man had allegedly convinced around 50 businessmen from Kalmunai to come to the Sirikotha Headquarters and prominent hotels in Colombo, to discuss politics and had promised freehold deeds, defrauding them.

The officials have taken legal measures to confiscate Rs. 02 million in the possession of the suspect, which had been fraudulently earned. 

The CID is conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, engaged in an inspection tour of areas around Kalmunai, Kalavanchikudy, and Kurukkulamadam, where complaints have been lodged regarding the presence of alleged mass graves.

According to the Ministry of Justice, during the visit, Minister Nanayakkara met with residents who had submitted the complaints.

The Minister assured that investigations into the mass grave allegations would be conducted fairly and transparently.

Officials from the Office on Missing Persons in Batticaloa, along with senior police officers, were also present during the visit. (Newswire)

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The Bribery Commission says a judge of the Kalmunai Quazi Court and his wife were arrested for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 2300. 

According to the Bribery Commission, the suspects were taken into custody at the Magistrate’s office located in the Maruthamunai area of the Ampara District last evening.

The arrests were made following a complaint filed by a female resident of Kalmunai, stating that the suspects had solicited a bribe to resolve issues related to child support. 

The Bribery Commission further states that the aggrieved party had sought assistance from the Quazi Court to receive child support for her three children from her divorced spouse.

The suspects had solicited and accepted a bribe of Rs. 300 per month to date for this purpose, while they had solicited a bribe of Rs. 2000 to provide the child support offered for this month. 

The Kalmunai Quazi Court judge and his wife had been arrested while accepting the bribe of Rs. 2300 yesterday. (Newswire)

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Intelligence agencies and security forces are currently investigating a suspected extremist group that has reportedly emerged in the Eastern Kalmunai area, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa revealed today.

Speaking at the Cabinet decision media briefing, Minister Jayatissa said that preliminary information regarding the group has been received, and authorities are actively working to uncover further details.

The Minister was responding to questions if the group has been identified, banned or arrested.

“At this moment, we have only received information about such a group operating in the Eastern Province. Intelligence and security agencies are in the process of verifying and investigating the matter. The President also addressed some concerns related to national security during discussions with officials. What we can confirm right now is that the security forces are closely monitoring the situation,” the Minister said. (Newswire)

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A clash has been reported between three groups near the Al Asgar Maha Vidyalaya in the Kalmunai area in the Digamadulla District.

It is reported that the clash had broken out between supporters of former MP Harees, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), and members of an independent group.

The Campaign for Free & Fair Election (CAFFE) had previously declared Kalmunai as a place of conflict after which the Police had increased security to the area. (Newswire)

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A 63-year-old man has hacked to death his two children and attempted to die by suicide in Ampara. 

According to the Police, the man had hacked to death his 15-year-old daughter and 29-year-old son in Ampara.

After murdering his children, the man had attempted to die by suicide but had been admitted to the Kalmunai Hospital.

The Ampara Police is conducting investigations into the incident. (NewsWire)

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The Police and the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) have been instructed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the recent death of a 15-year-old boy who was placed at a Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai, it was reported.

The directives were issued by the Secretary to the President, Saman Ekanayake on Wednesday (Dec 06), while a comprehensive report has also been sought over the incident on the instruction of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Earlier this week, the Matron of a Children’s Detention Centre was remanded until December 15 over the death of the boy. She was arrested after surrendering to the Kalmunai Police claiming that she had assaulted the boy. 

The Sri Lanka Police is also conducting investigations to ascertain the involvement of further individuals in the death. Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa told the media that any others found to be involved in the death will be apprehended.

The teenager, a resident of Kokuvil in Batticaloa, was arrested on suspicion and placed at the Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai for having robbed a temple.

He was apprehended by the Kokuvil Police on November 16 and was placed at the Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai the following day after being produced in court.

Based on information received by the Police, the body of the boy was found on November 30, after which the postmortem examination had been conducted at the Ampara Hospital.

The Postmortem report confirmed that the child had died due to injuries sustained to the chest area as a result of being assaulted. (NewsWire)

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The Matron of a Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai, who was arrested over the death of a 15-year-old boy, has been remanded. 

The woman had been arrested after surrendering to the Kalmunai Police yesterday claiming that she had assaulted the boy. 

Upon being produced in court today, the Matron has been remanded until December 15, 2023. 

The Sri Lanka Police is also conducting investigations to ascertain the involvement of further individuals in the death of the 15-year-old boy.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa told the media that any others found to be involved in the death will be apprehended.

Relatives of the boy also staged a protest in front of the Kalmunai Police Station over the death of the boy, while the coffin containing his body had also been placed in front of the Police Station during the protest.

The teenager, a resident of Kokuvil in Batticaloa, was arrested on suspicion and placed at the Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai for having robbed a temple. 

The child is reported to have dropped out of school after grade 09 due to economic difficulties.

He was apprehended by the Kokuvil Police on November 16 and was placed at the Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai the following day after being produced in court.

Based on information received by the Police, the body of the boy was found on November 30, after which the postmortem examination had been conducted at the Ampara Hospital.

The Postmortem report confirmed that the child had died due to injuries sustained to the chest area as a result of being assaulted. 

The Matron of a Children’s Detention Centre in Kalmunai surrendered to the Kalmunai Police claiming that she had assaulted the child. (NewsWire)

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A sub-inspector attached to the Kalmunai Police Headquarters has been arrested for allegedly soliciting a sexual bribe. 

According to media reports, the Police officer was arrested by officials from the Bribery Commission on Wednesday (Nov 22). 

The Police officer had reportedly sought a sexual bribe from a resident from Varipathanamchenai offering to assist her with a court case.

The suspect was arrested while waiting for the woman at a hotel in Kalmunai.  He will be produced before the Sammanthurai Magistrate’s Court. (NewsWire)

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