The Attorney General (AG) has informed the Supreme Court (SC) that indictments are expected to be filed within one month against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon over investigations into the attack carried out on the Aragalaya protest in 2022, at the Galle Face Green in Colombo.

During proceedings on an appeal filed by the AG against a Court of Appeal ruling that invalidated a directive issued to the Criminal Investigation Department to name Tennakoon as a suspect in the case, the SC was informed of key developments in the case on Monday (25).

The case was taken up before a three-Judge bench of the SC comprising Justices A H M D Nawaz, Achala Wengappuli, and Sampath K B Wijeratne. 

During the hearing, Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath Jayaweera, appearing for the AG, informed the Court that steps would be taken to file indictments against Tennakoon. Justice Nawaz, heading the three-Judge bench, questioned how long it would take to file the indictments. In response, Jayaweera stated that the indictments would be filed within one month.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing for Tennakoon, submitted before the Court that if indictments are filed against his client, the continuation of the current proceedings would become invalid.

After considering the submissions made by both the parties, the three-Judge bench scheduled the matter to be taken up again on 2 September.