by Zacki Jabbar
Leader of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), Premakumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige who was further remanded yesterday for allegedly violating immigration laws by the Kegalle Magistrate, could receive some relief, the government said.
“We are exploring the possibility of providing Gunaratnam with some legal relief “, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told a news conference in Colombo.”But it all depends on what the court determines.”
The Minister pointed out that the FSP leader had been accused of overstaying his visa.
The law had to be applied equally to all those alleged to have committed offences, he said adding that considering the circumstances of Gunaratnam’s case, he could receive some relief.
The FSP leader was arrested recently by the Police at his ancestral house in Anguruwella, Kegalle and produced before the Kegalle Magistrate who had remanded him on charges of violating immigration regulations. He had arrived on January 1, this year using an Australian Passport(N 1016123) bearing the name Noel Mudalige and been granted a visa till January 30, 2015, but did not leave the country nor make any public appearances. Gunaratnam’s name was included in the FSP’s National List along with his real NIC No 653231890 V, for the last Parliamentary Elections.
Gunaratnam alleged being abducted by members of the State Intelligence Services , who had come in a white van from a house at No: 291, Gemunu Mawatha, Kiribathgoda on April 6, 2012 and dumped him near the Colombo Crimes Division head office at Dematagoda, in the early hours of April 9, 2012, after having interrogated and tortured him . The Australian High Commission then intervened to secure his release. The following day, he was deported to Australia.
Gunaratnam had previously arrived in Colombo on September 4, 2011 using his Australian passport and engaged in clandestine JVP operations, until the party faced a split paving the way for the creation of FSP.
Born in Kegalle on Nov. 18, 1965 to a Sinhalese mother and a Tamil father, Gunaratnam played a major behind the scenes role in the JVP’s revival, in the aftermath of its top leaders being wiped out during the anti insurgent crackdown between 1987 and 1990.
Courtesy:The Island