- Immigration authorities directed to ensure CID officers stay in SL
- Move follows sudden departure of IP Nishantha Silva who left country on Sunday without prior permission
Hours after a Police officer who was investigating several high-profile cases left the country without prior permission, the Government yesterday issued a directive to the Immigration authorities placing overseas travel restrictions on 704 CID officers.
The list containing the names of CID officers who are barred from overseas travel was sent to the Immigration and Emigration Office at the Colombo International Airport last morning, Police said.
The ban on overseas travel for these CID officers came a day after CID officer IP Nishantha Silva who investigated several high-profile cases including the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge and the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda left the country with is family. He has reportedly gone to Geneva, Switzerland. He had gone overseas without prior permission from the Police Department as required by law.
Meanwhile the CID has begun an inquiry into Silva’s sudden departure from the country without informing the Department.
The turn of events involving the CID began last week after Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekera was transferred by the National Police Commission.
Abeysekera who along with Silva investigated several of the high-profile cases was posted to serve as the Personal Assistant the Southern Province DIG.
Among the other case that Silva investigated were the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr and the enforced disappearances of 11 youth allegedly by Navy intelligence men.
