Mahinda who was to be convicted of murder charges was made the leader by Ranil - An exclusive revelation by IGP Balasuriya (Source; Lankanewsweb)

IGP Mahinda Balasuriya has told few of his close associates that Mr. Ranil Wickramsignhe is responsible for making Mahinda Rajapaksha who was to be convicted and sentenced to jail on murder charges.

The IGP has made the revelation after the President has scolded him reminding of his mother in front of many other officials. We publish below an edited version of IGP Balasuriya’s revelation.

Beliatta Pradesheeya Sabha SLFP councillor A.M.K. Gunaratne who was a close associate of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksha joined the UNP in 1991 after a row with Mr. Rajapaksha over a post in the Pradesheeya Sabha (PS).

Later he contested the PS under UNP ticket and was appointed as the opposition leader having won the most preferential votes. As the opposition leader of the Beliatta PS, he has then become a strong challenge for Mr. Rajapaksha in his own constituency.

However, he was brutally killed in 1997 by yet unidentified group. The then opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and then UNP General secretary Gamini Athukorale have organised a huge protest in Beliatta against the brutal murder. Mr. athukorale has pledged to find the culprit and punish them in a UNP-led administration.

When the UNP came to power in 2002, the CID have begun investigations on Mr. Gunaratne’s killing as well as the killing of Lalith weerasinghe, the son of former Tangalle MP Jinadasa Weerasinghe.

Then Internal Security Minister John Amarathunga has empowered DIG Lionel Gunathilaka to investigate the double murdered and ASP A.S. Gnanaratne was specially assigned for the investigation.

Mr Gnanaratne’s investigations have revealed that both the murders were committed by M.K.Ranjith alias Chandi Malli who was a close associate of Mahinda Rajapaksha. When Chandi Malli was arrested, he has confessed that Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered both the murders. He has also revealed that the pistol used for the killing, which belonged to the security forces, was hidden in the roof of Mr. Rajapaksha’s house in Carlton, Tangalle.

Mr. Gnanaratne has conveyed all these information to Minister John Amarathunga. When Mr. Gnanaratna was travelling to Tangalle to arrest Mahinda Rajapaksha,the then opposition leader Mr. Rajapaksha has called PM Ranil Wickramasinghe and begged him to save him from arrest.

PM Wickrasinghe has then called Minister Amarathunga and ordered not to take any action against Mr. Rajapaksha. When the minister did not obey the order saying there are clear evidence against Mahinda Rajapaksha, Mr. Wickramasinghe has directly phoned ASP Gnanaratne and ordered him to stop investigations and return to Colombo.

PM Wickramasinghe has explained to Minister Amarathunga that arresting Mr. Rajapaksha would be a huge boost for President Chandrika Kumarathunga. As it is important for the UNP and the PM that there are infighting in the SLFP, Mr. Wickramasinghe has told the Minister that the government should take political decisions accordingly.

IGP Balasuriya has added that then the CID stopped all investigations regarding the double murder on PM’s order and currently both files regarding the double murder have disappeared from Tangalle magistrates court.

He has also recalled how Mahinda Rajapaksha who used Chandi Malli to murger Mr. Gunaratne then used Vambotta to murder Chandi Malli. Few years later, Vabotta was also shot dead by yet unidentified group.