Rear Admiral Dr. Sarath Weerasekera, Minister of Public Defense stated that necessary steps are being taken to cancel the charge sheet if it is not completed within six months of issuing the charge sheet to a police officer.
The Minister said that the process is being carried out in accordance with the Establishments Code and that the necessary steps have been taken by the IGP to finalize the charge sheets within two to three weeks. Police officers are charged by their superiors on disciplinary or other grounds. An inquiry should be held in this regard and at the end of the examination, the officer should declare him as right or wrong. If a charge sheet has been issued to an officer, it will have a severe effect on the promotion of that officer and many police officers are mentally distressed as they are unable to get promotions due to the charge sheets which have been pending for years without such investigation.
The Minister points out that the charge sheets issued in 2011 to certain officials have not even been touched.
Thirty-five Chief Inspectors of Police who were eligible for promotions were also at risk of losing the opportunity to be promoted as Assistant Superintendents of Police due to charges that had not been heard for many years.
That is why it has been decided to take the necessary steps to cancel the charge sheets if they are not resolved within six months.
Also, when a police officer is charged with human rights abuses while on duty, neither the police nor the government provides legal assistance. He will have to obtain the assistance of a lawyer with his own money.
The attention of the Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekera has been drawn in this regard as well. The Minister says that necessary steps will be taken to provide relief in the event of a human rights case being filed while on duty.
