Chief Inspector Niyomal Fernando of the Cinnamon Garden Police Station has formally apologized to journalist Kalpa Gunaratne, following allegations that his fundamental rights were violated during an unlawful arrest and torture, a case that was brought before the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.
It is reported that on October 3, 2024, during the International Book Fair at the Bandaranaike Memorial Conference Hall in Colombo, Gunaratne was arrested while intervening in and recording an incident in which a customer was assaulted at a university exhibition stall. He was detained at the Cinnamon Garden Police Station for nearly five hours before being released on Police bail.
Gunaratne later filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, naming Chief Inspector Niyomal Fernando, who was attached to the police post at BMICH, and then‑OIC of Cinnamon Garden Police, Alok Senanayake, as respondents responsible for his unlawful arrest.
Reports state that despite being summoned several times, the respondents failed to appear before the Human Rights Commission during the hearings of the complaint.
On November 27, the current OIC of Cinnamon Garden Police informed the Commission that he would look into the matter and take necessary steps. Subsequently, the Police notified the Commission that Chief Inspector Niyomal Fernando, the main respondent, was seeking a settlement regarding the incident.
Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne has stated that he would agree to such a settlement if the Police officers apologized to him and if the baseless case filed against him in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was withdrawn.
Accordingly, on January 2, 2026, Chief Inspector Niyomal Fernando appeared before the Human Rights Commission, gave a sworn statement and oral response, and apologized to journalist Kalpa Gunaratne. He also informed the Commission that he did not intend to pursue the case further and would take steps to withdraw it.
The case filed against Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne in the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court was recalled on January 5. At that hearing, the Police informed the court that since the matter had been settled, they did not wish to continue with the case.
Magistrate Asanka Bodaragama then informed the Police that if the case was to be withdrawn, the OIC must formally notify the court in writing. He explained that without such documentation, the case could not simply be withdrawn on the basis of a settlement.
The Magistrate instructed the Police that any withdrawal of the complaint must follow proper legal procedure, and further ordered the case to be recalled again on January 26, 2026. (Newswire)
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