Karuna Amman arrested after appearing before FCID

Former Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman who was arrested yesterday morning was remanded till 7 December by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya.

Amman who appeared before the Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) to record a statement on the alleged misuse of a Government vehicle was subsequently taken into custody. Karuna Amman, a former LTTE member, joined mainstream politics and became a minister of the PA lead Government. 

After leaving the LTTE, he led the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) and helped the army defeat the LTTE. Following the end of the war, Karuna Amman joined the Government led by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In January last year, when the new Government took office, Karuna Amman lost his place in the Government and later in Parliament. He has been accused by human rights groups and UN agencies of being involved in human rights abuses during the war. (Colombo Gazette)