Image created by AI.
Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Retired Major General Suresh Sallay, who is currently being detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has reportedly developed a serious and rapidly deteriorating medical condition, prompting his legal counsel to issue an urgent demand for immediate medical intervention and transfer to a hospital.
Attorney-at-Law Asitha Siriwardena, representing Major General Sallay, on 7 June 2026 formally wrote to CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara, urging authorities to take immediate action to safeguard the life and health of his client. The letter describes a situation that the lawyer characterizes as both medically critical and legally significant.
According to the legal notice, family members who visited Sallay on Sunday observed a severe decline in his physical condition. The lawyer states that Sallay was reportedly unable to walk without the physical support of two officers and appeared to be suffering from a serious deterioration in both his physical and psychological state.
The letter further claims that Sallay informed his family that he had refused food, water, medication, and saline treatment. During the visit, he allegedly expressed a belief that his death was imminent, requested arrangements for the donation of his eyes, and asked that his lawyer be summoned immediately to prepare his Last Will and Testament and other related legal documents.
Attorney Siriwardena argues that these circumstances demonstrate an urgent need for independent medical evaluation and hospital treatment. The letter states that Sallay may no longer be capable of making rational decisions concerning his own welfare and that the conditions under which he is currently being held pose a serious and foreseeable risk to his life.
Importantly, the legal notice does not make direct allegations against any individual officer or institution. Instead, it emphasizes a well-established legal principle recognized in both Sri Lankan law and international human rights standards: that the State owes a non-delegable duty of care to every person deprived of liberty and held in state custody.
The lawyer notes that once an individual is detained, responsibility for protecting that person’s life, health, safety, and wellbeing rests squarely with the authorities exercising control over that individual. The letter warns that a failure to discharge this duty in the face of an apparent medical emergency could expose responsible parties and institutions to scrutiny and potential liability under both civil and criminal law.
The notice further cautions that if Major General Sallay were to suffer irreversible injury or death while in custody despite explicit warnings regarding his condition, questions could arise as to whether sufficient steps had been taken to protect his fundamental rights and physical safety. Such circumstances, the lawyer argues, could become the subject of judicial, constitutional, criminal, or even international review proceedings.
In light of these concerns, Attorney Siriwardena has formally demanded that:
- Major General Sallay be transferred immediately to a government or private hospital capable of providing urgent medical treatment and comprehensive assessment;
- He be examined without delay by independent medical specialists, including psychiatric professionals if necessary;
- His legal representatives and immediate family members be granted reasonable access to him; and
- Authorities provide a written update regarding his medical condition and the protective measures being taken to safeguard his health.
The developments have generated significant discussion within legal and human rights circles, particularly regarding the treatment of detainees and the State’s obligations toward persons in custody. Observers note that the issues raised extend beyond the circumstances of any single case and touch upon broader constitutional and humanitarian principles, including the protection of the right to life, access to medical care, human dignity, and due process.
The matter has attracted heightened public attention as it unfolds ahead of proceedings scheduled before the Fort Magistrate’s Court, where a ruling related to the case is expected on June 10. Legal commentators have observed that the concerns raised in the lawyer’s letter do not seek to interfere with ongoing investigations or judicial processes but rather focus on ensuring that fundamental rights and basic humanitarian standards are upheld regardless of the allegations or proceedings faced by any detainee.
As debate continues, the case has become a focal point in the broader discussion about the balance between criminal investigations, the rule of law, and the State’s duty to protect the health and safety of individuals held in its custody.