Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Further investigations were being carried out into former Terrorism Investigation Division Director Nalaka Silva upon a compliant lodged by Anti-Corruption Force Director Namal Kumara in 2018 on an alleged plot to assassinate the then President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary and incumbent President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara revealed today.

The Minister told Parliament that preliminary investigations are being conducted by the Police Special Investigation Unit on the orders of the IGP after taking charge of the investigation files which were in the custody of the Court.

He said this in response to a question raised by SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha on the progress of the investigations into the incident.

The MP said DIG Nalaka Silva, who was the Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division, was arrested and removed from the position following an audio clip was made public by Namal Kumara claiming that an alleged plot to assassinate then President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was being hatched.

The MP said Nalaka Silva had been conducting investigations into Zahran Hashim and that DIG Silva was planning to obtain a red warrant to arrest Zahran when he was arrested.

Due to the arrest of DIG Silva, Zahran could not be arrested. Following the arrest of DIG Silva, a series of political incidents took place in the country including the 52-day political conspiracy. And then, the Easter Sunday attack. This is a serious conspiracy,” he said.

MP Bandara asked about the progress of the investigation into the incident and if Namal Kumara had told a lie, what action had been taken against him and the state of the investigations on DIG Silva.

Minister Weerasekara said Anti-Corruption Force Director Namal Kumara had lodged a complaint on September 15, 2018 that there was a plot to assassinate the said higher officials and added that having completed the investigations, investigation files had been referred to the Attorney General for his advice on September 9, 2019.

The Minister denied that there was any political hand behind the said murder plot.

He said Nalaka Silva had been released on bail on May 21, 2019 and that he was suspended on October 17, 2018 on the directions of the National Police Commission.

The Minister also said that the request made by the DIG Silva to reinstate him, has been turned down by the Public Services Commission on December 17, 2019.