The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) lashed out at the politicization of police Financial Crimes Investigations Division, and stated that it would take legal action against the procedure adopted by it to question and prosecute suspects referred to it by the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Speaking to media on Wednesday (6) UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha claimed that the entire process of recording statements and producing suspects in courts was biased, unethical and illegal.

He pointed out that it is the Cabinet Sub-Committee, chaired by the PM, that takes the final decision, whether or not to take action against politicians and officials served under the previous regime.

He went on to say that after recording statements, FCID takes decisions on further steps on the directive of the Cabinet Sub-Committee. It is a political witch-hunt never witnessed in Sri Lanka’s political history, Premajayantha stated.

Premajayantha said the SLFP had informed President Maithripala Sirisena on this dangerous trend and President Sirisena had promised to look into the issue.

“We have information that this ad-hoc Cabinet Sub-Committee has been appointed at a Cabinet meeting not attended by President Sirisena,” he said.

This issue also came to light during the debate on the 19th Amendment in parliament late last month.