Two Supreme Court judges, Justices Dilip Nawaz and Priyantha Fernando, have recused themselves from hearing the petitions filed against former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda. The judges announced their decision on Friday, citing personal reasons for their recusal.
The petitions, filed by the relatives of 11 youth who allegedly disappeared in Colombo and its suburbs between 2008 and 2009, challenge the Attorney General’s decision to withdraw charges against Karannagoda. The relatives of the missing youth said that the former Navy Commander was complicit in the abductions.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had, in 2019, accused Karannagoda of having knowledge of the abductions of at least five youth from Dehiwela. They were allegedly held at the Eastern Naval Command.
According to the CID’s B-report, Karannagoda was informed of the abductions on May 10, 2009, yet failed to take steps to secure the release of the victims. The report stated that if he had acted with due care upon receiving the information, the five youth, along with other victims, could have been saved.
However, in October 2021, Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, withdrew the indictment against Karannagoda. The Court of Appeal on October 13, 2021, permitted the Attorney General to withdraw the case against Karannagoda.
The missing youth were identified by the CID as Rajiv Naganathan, Pradeep Vishvanathan, Mohammed Sajith, Thilakeswaram Ramalingam, and Jamaldeen Dilan. According to the CID, a Navy informant, Mohammed Ali Anwar alias Hadjjiar from Karagampitiya, Dehiwela, was also involved in the abduction operation, and he too disappeared and was listed among the missing. The remaining five victims in the case include Kasthuriarachchilage John Reid, Amalan Leon, his son Roshan Leon, Anthony Kasthuriarachchi, and Kanagaraja Jegan.
The CID accused a group of Navy personnel of operating an abduction-for-ransom racket between 2008 and 2009, which led to the enforced disappearances of these men.
As a result of the recusal of Justices Nawaz and Fernando, the petitions will be heard by a different Bench on September 15, 2025.
