Police say they have received approval to detain and question Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, for 90 days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

According to the Police, the detention is in connection with the investigation into the abduction and disappearance of Professor Sivasubramaniam Ravidranath, who served as Vice-Chancellor of the Eastern University from 2004 to 2006. The incident is said to have taken place on 8 April.

However, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala offered a conflicting account, stating that Chandrakanthan was arrested in relation to the ongoing investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.