Police to Seek Attorney General's Guidance Over Contempt Directive Against IGP Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka Police is expected to consult the Attorney General's Department following a directive issued by Gampaha Magistrate Bandula Gunarathna concerning Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, a senior police official confirmed yesterday.

Legal Division to Step In

Police spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler told reporters that the police legal division would in all likelihood seek the guidance of the Attorney General's Department in response to the magistrate's order targeting the country's top police officer.

The development marks a significant moment in Sri Lankan law enforcement, as a sitting IGP faces a judicial directive that has prompted the institution to explore its legal options at the highest prosecutorial level.

Background to the Directive

The directive was issued by Gampaha Magistrate Bandula Gunarathna, though full details of the underlying contempt proceedings were not immediately disclosed. Such directives against a serving Inspector General of Police are considered rare and carry considerable legal and institutional weight.

The decision to involve the Attorney General's Department signals that police leadership is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness, recognising the potential implications for both the IGP personally and for the institution as a whole.

What Happens Next

Legal observers note that consulting the Attorney General's Department is a standard procedural step when state institutions face complex judicial challenges. The department's advice will likely shape how the police respond formally to the Gampaha Magistrate's directive.

Further developments are expected as the legal division proceeds with its consultations in the coming days.

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