On May 25, the first accused in the High Court case concerning the abduction and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda was arrested and produced before the court on charges of threatening and influencing the fourth witness in the case. He was subsequently remanded in custody.
Brigadier Shammi Kumararatne
The accused, Shammi Kumararatne, is a retired Brigadier from the Army Intelligence Division. He previously served as the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Armed Intelligence Corps Camp in Giritale—the location now identified as the site where Eknaligoda was allegedly held after he was abducted.
Sumathipala Suresh Kumar alias Thavendran, a resident of Eechchalampattu, was a main witness if the case.
Suresh Kumar’s father a Sinhalese and his mother a Tamil, both of whom had died in military attacks, had joined the LTTE in 1985 at the age of 16 years.
He was first arrested in August 2015 and confessed. Through his statement, CID investigations found out that the Army intelligence had run a shadow LTTE group. Suresh Kumar belonged to that group. Suresh Kumar befriended Eknaligida, posing as a LTTE intelligence operative. Suresh Kumar has been to a farm run by Eknaligoda in Dambulla.
Reports indicate that Brigadiier Shammi Kumararatne, alongside Jayalath Jayawardena, used Suresh Kumar’s knowledge of Eknaligoda to facilitate the journalist’s abduction.
Now Suresh Kumar has filed a complaint stating that Kumararatne threatened and attempted to influence him to change his evidence. Known by the aliases Thavendran and Murali, the witness was a former LTTE member who surrendered to the army in the final days of the war. Suresh Kumar officially filed the complaint on December 17, 2024. The investigation was handled by the National Authority for the protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses (NAPVCW).
While the complaint was lodged in December 2024, evidence suggests that the threats and intimidation began much earlier at least since 2020, during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency.
Changing his evidence to suit the threats
Despite years of threats and coercion, the witness did not seek legal recourse during this period. Instead, he gave testimony in court that contradicted his previous statements to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and his statutory declaration made under Section 127 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a Magistrate.
Due to this inconsistent testimony, the Attorney General’s Department once informed the court that Suresh Kumar would be classified as a prejudicial witness, and legal action could be taken against him.
Gota and Ranil Regimes
During the Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe administrations, the witness altered his testimony under intimidation and influence but the AG department never pursued legal action against him.
Now, under the National People’s Power (NPP) government, he has come forward, claiming that he was pressured to change his statements and that intimidation continued. His evidence may be challenged based on changing positions.
Following the NPP government’s election victory, the witness finally sought legal protection, claiming that his testimony had been manipulated due to ongoing threats.
Even with a change in government, it remains deeply concerning that the influence of military intelligence and criminal gangs has not diminished.
This development shows that Kumararatne—despite being a retired Brigadier—still holds considerable influence over military intelligence officers. He has been able to employ military intelligence officers to threaten Suresh Kumar, according to the complaint.
Three individuals with the aliases Manjula, Ramesh, and Mohammed allegedly assisted in threatening the witness, though their exact identities remain unconfirmed. Investigators are now following the digital footprints of those phone SIM cards which used to threaten Surash Kumar.
Regime change prediction
Court investigation reports reveal that, on 06 June 2025, a military intelligence officer, using the name Mohammed, exerted extreme pressure on Suresh Kumar, warning him:
“Vinayagam, the leader of the LTTE intelligence wing, has arrived in Mannar. Weapons have been brought from the port. Anura’s government will not last long. The next leader will be either Namal Rajapaksa or Wijeweera’s son. I have threats from the LTTE—come to Colombo and stay with me.”
This indicates an attempt to lure the witness to Colombo, raising suspicions that intelligence operatives sought to silence him—or even make him disappear.
Shammi Karunarathna is still using his official phone
The investigation confirmed that the phone number used to make the threat—076 xxxx108—was officially assigned to Brigadier Shammi Kumararatne by the Sri Lanka Army for official use. The fact that he was still using an official phone despite retiring in July 2023 raises serious concerns.
Investigations reveal that Kumararatne, along with intelligence officers, contacted the witness multiple times, ordered him to meet at certain locations, and exerted threats to dissuade him from testifying. These efforts intensified during the 2024 presidential election.
If a retired Brigadier still has the power to intimidate witnesses, this raises a pertinent question whether Deep State connected to past regimes, are still active today. The last few weeks have seen how highest highest-level government officials are in league with the corrupt politicians, underworld and acting illegally. For example:
An Assistant Controller of the Department of Immigration and Emigration has been arrested on charges of having issued three fake passports to underworld kingpin Mandinu Padmasiri alias ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’.
The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Illukpitiya has been remanded by the Supreme Court on contempt of court charges for failing to implement the interim order on the implementation of the electronic visa process.
Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, who was previously suspended and placed on compulsory leave, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), police confirmed today.
Suspended Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon was remanded in connection with the 2023 shooting incident near a hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama.
These developments suggest that Deep State networks still operate beyond state control, posing an ongoing threat to justice and democracy.