Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillaiyan, was arrested on April 8th by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the investigation into the abduction and disappearance of Professor Sivasupermaniam Ravindranath.
Police say they have obtained permission to detain and question him for 90 days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The arrest has sparked controversy, with many people suspecting that it is an attempt to make the PTA more acceptable to society. Legal experts argue that special laws like the PTA are not necessary to take legal action against individuals like Pillaiyan, who are accused of committing crimes with the patronage of the government.
Professor Ravindranath, who served as the Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University from 2004 to 2006, disappeared in 2006. The CID launched an investigation into his disappearance that year and found that he had been abducted. Pillaiyan’s arrest comes nearly 19 years after the incident.
The Minister of Public Security also stated in Parliament that Pillaiyan is being investigated for his alleged involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks.