Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) held a press conference today at the party headquarters to address his meeting with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 13 April 2025.
Gammanpila accused the government of violating Pilleyan’s legal rights under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), politicizing the police, and orchestrating a separatist conspiracy to punish Pilleyan for his role in defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Gammanpila described the press conference as one he “never expected to hold in my life,” stating, “I met Pilleyan not as a politician but as a lawyer. I have drawn a line between my political life and professional life.” He emphasized that he initially respected the CID’s request for confidentiality, telling the CID administrative officer, “Don’t be afraid. I know the ethics of a lawyer.”
However, social media leaks and media inquiries forced him to speak publicly. He accused a CID sub-inspector named A.L.M. Fahim, of posting about his visit online, calling it evidence of unprecedented police politicization. “The best example of the police being politicized in a way never seen in history is what happened next,” he said, alleging that a Deputy Inspector General was selling CID information to select media outlets for profit. He demanded an immediate investigation, stating, “How only certain social media outlets get CID information needs to be investigated right away to expose this racket.”
The press conference centered on Pilleyan’s detention under the PTA, which Gammanpila claimed violated legal provisions. He cited PTA clauses 10A(1) and 10A(2), which grant detainees the right to meet their lawyer and family, alleging that Pilleyan was denied both. He recounted how a junior lawyer, a friend’s associate, was refused access to Pilleyan on 9 April.
Gammanpila then met Pilleyan’s relatives on 12 April to gather information and contacted the CID Director, pointing out the legal violations. “I told her that neither Pilleyan’s lawyer nor his relatives were allowed to speak with him, despite the PTA granting these rights,” he said. After submitting a written request, he was granted a 30-minute meeting on 13 April, which took place under the surveillance of four police officers, one taking notes. Gammanpila objected, stating, “Normally, discussions between a suspect and their lawyer should be confidential,” but noted that the officers’ presence provided “four witnesses” to his conversation.
Pilleyan, a former Eastern Province Chief Minister, was arrested on April 8, 2025, based on a January 2025 statement by a relative of Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandran, alleging his involvement in the 2006 disappearance of Eastern University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Subramaniam Raveendranath, Gammanpila accussed.
Gammanpila questioned the timing, noting that no accusations were made for 18 years. He said Pilleyan told him, “I don’t have a clear memory of that day, but that was when the Eastern war with the LTTE was at its peak. I was leading Karuna’s group against the LTTE from our Maduru Oya camp and had no time to leave.” Gammanpila argued that the incident occurred during intense Eastern operations (July 2006–July 2007), making Pilleyan’s involvement unlikely.
Gammanpila portrayed Pilleyan as a ‘national hero,’ forcibly recruited as a 14-year-old child soldier by the LTTE and later defecting with Karuna Amman in 2003 with 6,000 fighters to join the Sri Lankan military.
“After Pilleyan and Karuna left the LTTE, the organization’s end began,” he said, crediting Pilleyan’s role in the 2007 Eastern victory. He contrasted Pilleyan’s treatment with the impunity enjoyed by other former LTTE members, stating, “Some who fought for the LTTE are now MPs, wealthy businessmen, or NGO leaders, living freely in society.” Pilleyan, he said, was detained for five years (2015–2020) on “false charges” that were dropped for lack of evidence, only to be arrested again.
During their meeting, Pilleyan cried emotionally recounted his sacrifices, telling Gammanpila, “I separated from the Tigers and fought to defeat them, risking my life. Those who fought for the Tigers are now MPs, businessmen, or NGO leaders, living without issues. I was detained for five years on a false case, which was withdrawn for lack of evidence. Now they’ve locked me up again. Is this how they treat someone who helped save the country?” Gammanpila argued that Pilleyan’s role makes him a “national hero,” stating, “He is a living testament to the LTTE’s use of child soldiers. He fought for the country, risking his life, not surrendering like some Tigers.”
Gammanpila alleged a conspiracy by the National People’s Power (NPP) and separatists to target Pilleyan for his anti-LTTE role. “Tamil separatists hate Pilleyan for his role in ending LTTE terrorism. Destroying him is their biggest goal,” he said, citing the 2015–2020 detention under an NPP-supported government. He accused the current government of being a “terrorist government” formed by “northern and southern terrorists,” stating, “They favor terrorists and hate those who helped destroy terrorism. Pilleyan’s only crime is leaving the LTTE and helping end their terrorism.”
Addressing claims linking Pilleyan to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, Gammanpila dismissed statements by the President and Public Security Minister as “blatant lies.” He presented Pilleyan’s detention order, signed by the President, noting, “Does it mention a single word about the Easter attacks? No.” He argued that Pilleyan, detained from 2015 to 2020, could not have been involved, stating, “If someone accuses a person in custody during 2019 of orchestrating the Easter attacks, their head needs checking.” He warned against pressuring Pilleyan for a false confession, referencing past CID misconduct, such as the coerced confession in the Seya Sadewmi case, and asserted, “Pilleyan, who fought Prabhakaran and won, won’t fall for these games.”
Gammanpila vowed to defend Pilleyan to prove that “Sri Lankans are not an ungrateful nation,” stating, “If we punish those who opposed terrorism, no one will come forward to fight terrorism in the future.” He said that the public should recognize Pilleyan’s ‘sacrifices,’ accusing that the government’s actions reflect a broader agenda to protect terrorists while targeting heroes.
