Ex-Lankan IGP to appeal before SC against President's decision to remove him

Sri Lanka's former police chief, Pujith Jayasundera, who was sent on compulsory leave after the Easter Sunday terror attack, will approach the Supreme Court against the President's action, a media report said Tuesday.

Amidst the criticism over the massive intelligence failure to avert the country's worst suicide attack that killed over 250 people, President Maithripala Sirisena sought the resignation of Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and the Inspector General of Police Jayasundara.

While Fernando resigned, claiming that he was quitting to "protect" his political bosses, Jayasundara initially defied pressure on him to resign.

Sri Lankan media reported that constitutionally the President does not have the authority to dismiss the police chief.

Jayasundara is currently consulting lawyers and is preparing to hand over his petition to the Supreme Court within the next two weeks, Sri Lanka Mirror reported.

The report said Jayasundera has decided to file a fundamental rights case before the Supreme Court against sending him on compulsory leave without informing him any justifiable reasons.

It is also reported that Jayasundera is intending to state before the Supreme Court that he has been removed from the position without taking any steps that should be taken to remove an IGP under the 19th Amendment.

It is also said that he is prepared to disclose official information about the measures taken by him on the Easter Sunday attack.

Sri Lankan government has admitted a "major intelligence lapse" before the April 21 bomb attacks which killed 257 people and wounded more than 500.

An Indian intelligence warning from the beginning of the month about planned attacks was not properly shared by the authorities, Parliament heard last week.

Jayasundera plans to stay at the IGP's official residence until the Supreme Court judgment is known, the report said.

His motorcycle security and several police guards of him have also been removed after Jayasundera was sent on compulsory leave, it said.