Police Under Chandrika
By Rajan Hoole –March 7, 2015
Dr. Rajan Hoole
The PA and the Administration of the Police
Following the election of the PA government in 1994, the public was witness to one of those Sri Lankan rituals. Those who had been politically victimised by the earlier government were asked to appeal. A number of persons who had left the Police were re-instated as Senior DIGs with back-wages. DIG W.B. Rajaguru was a person in this group who had faced victimisation of a sort. The Government under Premadasa used its option and the IGP had retired him at the age of 55. After the age of 55 all government officers are on annual extension and work at the will and pleasure of the Government. Earlier the age had been 50, and under Mrs. Bandaranaike’s Government of 1970-77, T.B. Werapitiya who became deputy defence minister after the elections in 1977, had been retired as DIG (Metropolitan) at the age of 50.
Of the six officers taken back, paid back wages and placed in the rank of Senior DIG, two had suffered victimisation of a kind that was not political. In Rajaguru’s case one of the main problems is said to have been ambitious officers junior to him who, eyeing the IG’s job, carried tales about him to the political bosses of the day. This ensured his retirement at the earliest opportunity. Another of the six who was in Administration is said to have been similarly refused extension of service after 55 through internal manipulation. He, it is said, had refused to co-operate in corrupt practices by some who were higher up.
The others, according to senior police sources, had no case for re-instatement on grounds of victimisation. They had resigned after refusing to serve in a conflict zone, retired or had been served with vacation of post for absence during the JVP insurgency. One of them had a reputation for being notoriously corrupt. Another was closely related to a PA cabinet minister.Read More
