A group of policemen headed by the Talangama OIC attempted to search the JVP head office in Palewatte yesterday morning, but were forced to turn back because they did not have a legal search warrant.
The JVP’s former parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told “The Island”, that the policemen had not been permitted to enter their office, because they did not possess a valid court order.
“When we told the Talangama OIC to produce the search warrant, he replied that they would be back with the necessary documents. But despite one of our parliamentarians Sunil Handunetti, calling the Talanagama Police almost every hour, to find out if they were coming, no one turned up,” he said.
“However, since around 11.30 a.m, we have noticed policemen standing on the road and checking all vehicles to and from the JVP office,” Dissanayake said.
The government, he alleged, was harassing them since they were in the forefront of exposing the Rajapaksa government. Another obvious reason was their opposition to the JVP’s decision to contest the forthcoming parliamentary election under the leadership of General Sarath Fonseka.
Asked if the police had been looking for the JVP’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva, he said “I do not know. In any event, Tilvin has done nothing illegal to be arrested.”