(UTV | COLOMBO) – The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) today (25) expressed its concern over the decision by Sri Lankan Authorities to arrest Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen and Riyaj Bathiudeen on early Saturday morning (24).
Leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and his brother were arrested by the CID under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Expressing grave concern, Party’s National Vice President K. K. S. M. Dhehlan Baqavi has issued a statement on the arrests via Facebook.
The SDPI has called on the Sri Lankan Authorities to urgently review this incident and release the former Minister and his brother.
Meanwhile, several minority Party and Political Leaders in Sri Lanka also strongly condemned the arrests of Rishad and Riyaj Bathiudeen.
The Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Parliamentarian Rauff Hakeem, the Leader of the Democratic People’s Front (DPF) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan, SLMC Parliamentarian Ali Zahir Moulana, and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Imran Maharoof issued statements on the arrests.
பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர், கட்சித் தலைவர் நண்பர் #ரிசாத்_பதுர்தீனை இந்த ரமழான் மாதத்தில் “அதிகாலை 3 மணி” க்கு வீடு புகுந்து, தலைமறைவாக வாழும் பாதாள உலக கேடியை இழுத்து செல்வதை போல் கைது செய்ததன் பின்னுள்ள “ஆவேசம்” என்ன? #ராஜபக்ச அரசின் கொடூர ராணுவ முகம் வெளிப்படுகிறதா? #lka
— Mano Ganesan (@ManoGanesan) April 24, 2021
What’s that “Ugly Haste” in arresting Party leader & MP #Rishad_Badurdeen at the very early hours in this month of ramadan in a “busting a hideout of an underworld fugitive” like operation ? Is it Militarization in the making? #lka
— Mano Ganesan (@ManoGanesan) April 24, 2021
Attorney-at-Law Rushdhie Habeeb, representing the Parliamentarian and his brother, also called their arrests politically motivated and said, “No reasons for the arrest had been given at the time of their arrest by those who conducted the midnight raid.”
The CID has been standing outside my house in Boudhaloka Mawatha since 1.30 am today attempting to arrest me without a charge. They have already arrested my brother. I have been in Parliament, and have cooperated with all lawful authorities until now. This is unjust.
— Rishad Bathiudeen (@rbathiudeen) April 23, 2021
“The CID has been standing outside my house in Boudhaloka Mawatha since 1.30 AM today attempting to arrest me without a charge. They have already arrested my brother. I have been in Parliament, and have cooperated with all Lawful Authorities until now. This is unjust,” the former Minister tweeted prior to his arrest.
Prior to his arrest, Rishad released a video on social media stating that the Officers attached to the CID have failed to set forth an arrest warrant and that the Speaker of Parliament was not aware of the arrest and did not know the nature of charges he would be arrested.
Police Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana said that they were arrested at their respective residences under the PTA over allegations of aiding and abetting the suicide bombers of the Easter attack.
DIG Rohana said that they are currently being questioned in this regard by the CID and allowed to be detained for 72-hours.
Rushdhie Habeeb representing the former Minister and his brother said a Presidential inquiry had found no evidence linking them to the bombers and the arrests were a political vendetta.
“The arrests are politically motivated,” Rushdhie Habeeb said in a statement.
In his statement, the Attorney said the purpose was to “Punish the political leadership of the Muslims, which had nothing to do with 21/4, for the dastardly acts of some Muslim youths who were widely alleged as having been used as pawns by foreign powers.”
“Having evaluated the evidence, the Easter Commission found no evidence of any one of the Bathiudeens having aided or abetted the suicide bombers in the Easter Sunday bombings. Their arrest without any justifiable material is in violation of the rule of law.
“We are instructed to state that the arrests are politically motivated. The ACMC supported the present Opposition at the last Presidential and General Elections. The ACMC is today a part of the country’s Opposition. The ACMC also represents a predominant share of the Muslim community. This is a racially revengeful process to punish the political leadership of the Muslims, which had nothing to do with 21/4, for the dastardly acts of some Muslim youths who were widely alleged, as having been used as pawns by foreign powers,” Rushdhie Habeeb said.