News 1st journalist Zulfick Farzan summoned to TID over 'Grand Conspiracy' interview

News 1st journalist Zulfick Farzan was summoned to the Terrorist Investigation Division on Tuesday (25) morning to record a statement regarding the interview with Former Attorney General Dappula De Livera, PC over the 2019 Easter Sunday Terror Attacks. 

The said interview was done days ahead of the Former Attorney General's retirement.

In an interview in May 2021, Former Attorney General Dappula De Liversa said that a Grand Conspiracy was behind the 2019 April Attacks.

The Former Attorney General was summoned to the Terrorist Investigation Division on three separate occasions to record a statement over the comments, and on Monday (24) the Court of Appeal issued an interim order on the Terrorist Investigations Division preventing the arrest or recording a statement from Former Attorney General Dappula De Livera.

The Interim order was made after considering a Writ Application filed by the Former Attorney General. 

A writ application filed by Former Sri Lankan Attorney General Dappula De Livera was taken up for consideration on Monday (24) in the presence of President of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne, and A. Marikkar.

In his petition, Dappula De Livera said that the statement he made to the media was made in his capacity as the Attorney General in the public interest.

He noted that as per the documents and/ or filed made available to him at the time there appeared to a conspiracy in respect of the Easter Sunday Attacks, and however, the identity of the relevant perpetrators was not revealed.

The Former Attorney General said that he gave detailed instructions to the Inspector General of Police to carry out further investigations into the matter.

The Petitioner expressly stated that save and except for the documentation and/or files made available to him at the time in his capacity as the Attorney General, the Petitioner has no further knowledge with regard to the relevant facts or circumstances.

However, in order to record a statement over the interview with the Former Attorney General Dappula De Livera PC, News 1st Journalist Zulfick Farzan was informed to appear at the Terrorist Investigation Division on Tuesday (25) at 10 AM.

A statement was recorded from the journalist for around five hours by the Terrorist Investigation Division.