March 09, Colombo (LNW): Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala has announced that the government will initiate a fresh investigation into several serious allegations involving former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Speaking to reporters, Watagala confirmed that the government would take all necessary measures to look into accusations surrounding the controversial “Batalanda Report”, which was referenced in a recent interview given by Wickremesinghe to Al Jazeera.
In addition to the Batalanda Report, Watagala stated that the inquiry would also extend to two other significant issues: the Central Bank bond scam and the devastating Easter Sunday attacks.
Both of these incidents occurred during Wickremesinghe’s tenure as prime minister, and the government has expressed its intention to thoroughly examine any potential wrongdoing or lapses that may have occurred under his leadership.
The Deputy Minister stressed that the current NPP government is fully committed to upholding transparency and accountability in governance.
He indicated that steps will be taken to address all accusations, particularly those that were previously shielded from scrutiny due to political protection afforded to Wickremesinghe.
The Batalanda Report refers to an investigative document published in 1997 that detailed human rights violations, including illegal detention, torture, and abuse, which occurred in a state-sanctioned detention centre known as Batalanda during the late 1980s.
