Kilinochchi District Judge P. Sivakumar remanded the four suspects including Suresh Kartheepan who identified himself as Major Seelen, accused of taking bribes to secure the release of LTTE carders in military detention.

Kilinochchi police said that Major Seelan is not a member of the Sri Lankan army.

The group were arrested by the military and handed over to the police on Sunday (14th November).

Rs. 10000 per detainee

Major Seelan who claimed he could not speak Sinhala used the principal of the Kanagapuram College as an interpreter.

He told the principal that the government charges ten thousand rupees per detainee as a penalty fee and instructed the principal to inform the parents and relatives to come to the Kanagapuram College with money to secure the release of their loved ones.

The principal who was suspicious about the procedure alerted the military and the military detained the group when they came to collect the money.

In September the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said that there are nearly 8,000 rebel suspects detained for months without a trial.