Kamalendran gets leave from NPC but remanded till Jan.23

Northern Provincial Council granted leave to Opposition Leader Kandasamy Kamalendran, arrested on charges of alleged murder of Nedunthivu PS Chairman Daniel Rexian, till January 27th from participating at council sittings.

Requesting leave, the Opposition Leader had written to the Council, which was read out to members by Chairman Kandiah Sivagnanam at yesterday’s sittings. Councillor Sivajilingam then intervened and asked the Chairman not to grant the leave.

However, Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran said that due to legal wrangle faced by the Opposition Leader, leave should be granted to him and if he did not attend the sittings on January 27th, then the next steps could be considered. Accordingly, the Council agreed to grant the requested leave.

In the letter written by the Opposition Leader to the Chairman, he had stated “I am in remand prison on the orders of Kayts Magistrate. Counsel Mudiyappu Remedius, on my behalf, has requested permission from court for me to participate in Council sittings. Although I was produced in the court on December 11 and 31, permission was not granted”

“However, I am due to be produced in court today (09) and I hope I would be given permission, but even if I got the permission, I cannot attend the sittings because it would only be possible after legal security matters are arranged for my attendance which may take time, therefore, I am requesting leave from the Council” he stated.

Meanwhile, when the Opposition Leader was produced in court yesterday, he was ordered to be kept in remand custody till January 23 by Kayts Magistrate Lenin Kumar.