The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay, who remains in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has made an urgent appeal to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake requesting that his detention order not be further extended and that he instead be placed in remand custody under judicial supervision.
In a letter dated 21 August, Manori Sallay said her husband, who remains in custody under orders issued by the Ministry of Defence, was suffering from a serious cardiac condition and urged the President to intervene in view of what she described as a grave risk to his life.
According to the letter, Sallay’s health deteriorated after he launched a hunger strike against his prolonged detention and the conditions imposed on him. He was subsequently admitted to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka on 7 June 2026.
The letter stated that he was transferred to the hospital’s Cardiology Unit on 27 June after developing cardiac rhythm abnormalities and was placed under specialist care.
According to his wife, Sallay subsequently underwent an emergency cardiac procedure due to the continued deterioration of his heart function. An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) was also implanted to manage potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
Manori Sallay has requested the President not to extend the existing detention order once it expires and not to return her husband to CID custody. Instead, she has sought his placement in remand custody under judicial supervision.
She has also requested that arrangements be made to ensure uninterrupted specialist medical supervision and post-operative care, particularly in view of the ICD implanted in his heart.
The letter warned that removing Sallay from the medical care of the National Hospital and returning him to CID custody could pose a serious risk to his life.
Manori Sallay stressed that neither she nor her family intended to obstruct any lawful investigation. She assured that Sallay would continue to fully cooperate with investigators, including by providing statements and responding to questioning, even if he were placed in remand custody under judicial supervision.
She further noted that the Government was preparing to introduce legal reforms to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and expressed hope that the President would intervene urgently, taking into consideration the State’s humanitarian responsibility to safeguard the life and health of a person in its custody.
