Lawyers say suspects are yet to be informed of the charges against them

The suspects, including defence columnist Ruwan Weerakoon, were produced before Colombo magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne.

Brig Duminda Keppetiwalana, Maj Gen (retd.) Sunil Amarasena de Silva and Gen Sarath Fonseka’s private secretary, Senaka de Silva are among the other suspects.

When pointed out by the lawyers that suspects are yet to be informed of any charges against them, Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne warned the TID not to try to supersede the country’s constitution.

It is necessary under the constitution, she said, that any suspect of informed of charges at the time of the arrest.

The lawyer representing the accused, Gunaratna Wanninayake, told BBC Sandeshaya that the officials from the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) failed to provide a proper explanation as to why the suspects are being detained.

Minister’s statement

“With the permission from the magistrate, we questioned TID officials as to when, where and with whom these people have conspired against the government but they had no answer,” he said.

	Court ordered police chief to provide 24-hour security to opposition MPs

The legal team has pointed out that the arrest was part of a political conspiracy against dissidents, according to Mr. Wanninayake.

Allowing the request by the TID to detain the suspects for further questioning, the magistrate postponed the hearing until 23 April.

In a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition journalist Ruwan Weerakoon has informed the Supreme Court that information given to the police Criminal investigation Department (CID) by Minister Johnston Fernando are false.

Minister Fernando has told the police, says Mr. Weerakoon, that he personally introduced former military commander Gen Sarath Fonseka to the minister, then an opposition parliamentarian.

Supreme Court order

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, has ordered the police chief to provide 24 hour security to all opposition parliamentarians.

A three-member bench chaired by the Chief Justice Asoka de Silva made the order after considering a fundamental rights (FR) petition filed by 18 opposition MPs.

The CJ pointed out to the counsel representing the government counsel representing to the government that one officer per MP will not be sufficient to provide 24-hour security.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) was ordered to provide at least two police officers per MP.

The opposition MPs have filed the petition against the withdrawal of their after the dissolution of the parliament.