Pillayan remanded till 13 July over Eastern Province murder probe

Wednesday, 1 July 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sivanesathurai ‘Pillayan’ Chandrakanthan

Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, better known as Pillayan, was yesterday remanded until 13 July by the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court in connection with investigations into five murders committed in several parts of the Eastern Province.

The order was made when the case was taken up before the court following Chandrakanthan’s production under heightened security.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had, on 15 June, submitted details to court regarding the killings, which allegedly took place in 2008.

At the previous hearing, the Magistrate directed the Superintendent of the Welikada Prison to produce Chandrakanthan, who has been named as the third suspect in the case, at yesterday’s proceedings.

He was accordingly produced before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court under tightened security, following which the court ordered that he be remanded until 13 July.