Acting IGP C.D.Wickramaratne, has advised the National Police Commission (NPC) that handing over investigations regarding Dr. Mohammed Shafi to the Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) or any other unit will give rise to legal and practical issues, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara told the Daily News yesterday.
SP Gunasekara said the CID had taken over the investigations in a methodical and legal manner under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, having notified court. A senior officer of the Attorney General’s Department had also been present in court, Gunasekara said.
Responding to a complaint by a lawyer, the National Police Commission had called for a report from the acting IGP over the possibility of removing the CID from investigating Dr. Mohammed Shafi’s case and handing it over to the Police SIU. The Police Spokesman said the lawyer had lodged a complaint with the NPC stating that investigations carried out by the CID against Dr. Shafi should be withdrawn.
“In his complaint, the lawyer had requested that investigations should be handed over to a Special Investigation Unit which should comprise police teams from the CID, the Kurunegala Police and the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD),” SP Gunasekara explained. Accordingly, the NPC had inquired from the acting IGP regarding the possible handing over of the investigations to the SIU.
Dr. Shafi who was attached to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital was arrested on May 24 on allegations of unlawful wealth and, was later handed over to the CID for investigations regarding allegations of non-consensual female sterilisations allegedly performed by him. He had been remanded till July 25.
Courtesy: Daily News
