Court orders Sallay to hand over laptop, phone passwords to CID

Thursday, 2 July 2026 04:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former SIS Chief Suresh Sallay

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Suresh Sallay to provide the passwords to a laptop and mobile phone seized during his arrest to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Delivering a detailed 23-page order, Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara rejected a motion seeking to remove the investigations from the authority of the Director of the CID.

The Court also dismissed a request by Sallay to be provided with writing materials and stationery while in custody as a separate application seeking permission to record a confidential statement before the Court.

The order was issued after Additional Solicitor General Dilip Peiris informed Court that investigators had recovered the devices from Sallay’s vehicle at the time of his arrest.

According to the prosecution, Sallay had claimed the laptop belonged to his daughter and had attempted to leave it at his office before investigators took possession of both devices. The prosecution also told Court that Sallay had refused to disclose the passwords required to access the laptop and mobile phone.

Peiris argued that the suspect was a skilled hacker trained to gain unauthorised access to computer systems and requested the Court to direct him to provide the passwords to assist the ongoing investigation.

President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando appearing for Sallay objected to the request, arguing that the Magistrate’s Court had no legal authority to issue such an order.

However, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ruled that under Section 124 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, the Court has the authority to issue directions necessary to facilitate criminal investigations.

The Magistrate accordingly ordered Sallay to provide the passwords to the CID.

The case was postponed till 2 September, with the Court also directing that Sallay be produced via video link on the next hearing date.