Chief Justice Mohan Peiris is now in hot waters as his name has been mentioned by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in the complaint he lodged with the CID as one of the parties who hatched a plan at the Temple Trees to suspend the results and implement emergency law in the country on January 08.

Foreign Minister Samaraweera made a CID complaint in this regard yesterday. He also charged that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his brother and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L Peiris and Provincial Council member Udaya Gammanpila were involved in the plan.

Government sources said the CID would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged attempted to coup and take measures to prosecute those who hatched the plan on Election night.

According to Samaraweera, part of the plan had been to surround the Elections Department by the military and bend the Elections Commissioner to their will and create a dangerous situation in the country.

“Fortunately, the IGP, Army Commander and the Attorney general Yuvanjan Wijeyathileka stood against this plan and refused to follow the orders. Thanks to their brave deeds, the democracy in the oldest democracy in Asia could be preserved,” Samaraweera told media outside the CID premises yesterday.

Meanwhile, speaking to Asian Mirror, Deputy Foreign Minister Lawyer Ajith P Perera said anyone, except the incumbent President, is equal before the country’s law. “That includes,” he said, “the Chief Justice of the country as well as the former Presidents.”

“If any party conspires against a democratically elected government that is certainly a grave criminal offence that necessitates prosecution,” Perera explained.