Pillaiyan, four others acquitted

By J. Khan – Batticaloa 

SLPP MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pillaiyan’ was acquitted yesterday by Batticaloa High Court (HC) Judge S. Susaithasan, in the case pertaining to the murder of former TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham.

Four other suspects, who were arrested over the case, were also acquitted from charges filed against them and ordered to be released from the trial after being incarcerated since 2017.

On Monday, the Attorney General’s Department informed the Batticaloa HC that it will not proceed with the case against the former Eastern Province Chief Minister and MP Chandrakanthan over the Pararajasingham murder case.

Accordingly, the Batticaloa HC had set yesterday as the date to announce its verdict on the trial. 

Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) leader and Parliamentarian Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pillaiyan’ was granted bail by the Court on 24 November last year after spending five years in remand custody.

Pillaiyan had been in remand custody since his arrest on 11 October six years ago when he arrived at the CID to give a statement in connection with the assassination of the late Tamil politician Joseph Pararajasingham, who was shot dead on Christmas Eve, 16 years ago.

A gunman opened fire on TNA MP Pararajasingham after he received communion at St Mary’s church in Batticaloa, killing him and injuring eight others including his spouse.

Contesting at the General Election 2020, Pillaiyan had obtained the highest number of votes from the District of Batticaloa and entered Parliament.