Cabinet Spokesperson Vijitha Herath stated today (22) that retired DIG Ravi Seneviratne, Secretary to the Public Security Ministry, and SSP Shani Abeysekera will not be removed from their positions based on the controversial A.N.J. de Alwis report.

Addressing the Cabinet media briefing, Herath said those pushing for the removal of these officials were attempting to disrupt the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, and the government would not yield to such pressure.

The government previously announced that investigations into the terror attacks had commenced. When asked whether the officials would be removed ahead of the investigation, the Minister clarified that neither the Presidential Commission led by Supreme Court Judge Janak de Silva nor the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) had found Ravi Seneviratne or Shani Abeysekera responsible for the Easter Sunday bombings.

He also noted that the Supreme Court, in its ruling on the Fundamental Rights petitions filed by the victims of the attacks, did not convict either official. The court's judgment held former President Maithripala Sirisena, Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena, and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara accountable.

“Those who want to remove these two officials clearly aim to disrupt the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage. They were silent for the past few years, but now that we have restarted the investigations and involved these honest officials, they have suddenly awakened. We won’t bend to their unreasonable demands. The investigation will be impartial, with no political interference. Actions will be taken against any officials found guilty following a proper investigation,” he asserted.