A 72-hour detention order has been granted for two close associates of former Eastern Provincial Council member Iniya Bharathi after they were produced before the Eravur Magistrate’s Court on Monday, police said.
The pair were arrested on Sunday evening in Akkaraipattu, in Ampara District, on findings from an investigation into the abduction and enforced disappearance of state officials and civilians by an armed group operating in the Eastern Province during 2007 and 2008. Police said the suspects are allegedly linked to organised crime and terrorist activity, and that the inquiry has uncovered information about a camp they are accused of running.
Iniya Bharathi himself was arrested earlier and remains in custody for questioning over separate allegations. The fresh arrests confirm that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe in the east has widened beyond the former councillor to map a broader historical network.
The 2007-2008 reference frames the case as part of unresolved war-era accountability work in Ampara District, where multiple armed groups operated alongside government forces during the final phase of the conflict. NewsFirst said further details on the suspects’ identities and the camp would be released as the investigation progresses.
