LANKALIBRARY FORUM

My son not involved - Mervyn
Armed patrons thwart police raid on nightclub

by Shamindra Ferdinando and Norman Palihawadana
The Island / 25JUL2005

The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) said that Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva's son Malaka and another person believed to be a bodyguard pulled out pistols during a police raid on Taj Samudra around midnight Saturday. They had been among the group of persons who clashed with the raiding party.

Mervyn Silva defended his son. "He is not involved in the fight," he told The Island. He accused the law enforcement officers of targeting his son. "There is not an iota of truth in what police say."

President Chandrika Kumaratunga recently made him a Deputy Minister, a post he vacated several months ago following accusations of his involvement in an attack on the Clancy's.

"One of the unruly youth attacked a plainclothesman and gashed his lip," a senior police headquarters based official said. "They pulled out weapons and threatened to open fire.

They forced us to leave the club," he acknowledged.

"We did not make an attempt to arrest them. A shooting match would have caused casualties," he said. According to him there had been over 150 persons including many scantily clad girls, at the MKOP at the time of the raid.

Police Chief Chandra Fernando ordered a crackdown on night clubs and karaoke bars after the horrific killing of 19-year-old fashion designer student Alanska Yvonne Jonsonn on the 19th floor of the plush Royal Park condominium at Rajagiriya on July 1.

Caroline, 17, had admitted that she and her murdered sister were aware of the suspect Shramantha Jayamaha's dependence on narcotics. This transpired during the magisterial inquiry.

Speaking to The Island hours before his men raided Taj Samudra, Fernando said that they would go all out against narcotics dealers.

Saturday's raid was the first targeting MKOP after SSP Ananda Hettiarachchi replaced Pujitha Jayasundera as Director PNB. Jayasundera has been appointed DIG, Colombo.

"Our raid triggered a violent reaction from the youth," a senior police headquarters official said.

About two dozen plainclothesmen led by a Chief Inspector had moved in around 11. 30 p.m. on Saturday. "We were looking for narcotics, particularly ecstasy," the officer said, adding that the policemen and a group of MKOP patrons exchanged blows. But once they pulled out pistols we had to leave," the officer said.

"We had a search warrant," another officer said, adding that PNB officers lodged complaints with Fort Police. Colombo police is expected to record the statement of Malaka Silva. "We are trying to identify the youth carrying weapons," he said.

DIG Pujitha Jayasundera yesterday directed ASP Champika Siriwardene to investigate the incident. Police yesterday recorded several statements including from the staff at MKOP and Officer-in-Charge of the PNB.

Colombo police is expected to take Malaka Silva into custody. Police are trying to establish whether the bodyguard accompanying Malaka was one of the personnel assigned to Deputy Minister's security from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD).

Minister's son released on bail

Minister's son is accused of assaulting police officers

BBC Sinhala
25JUL2005

Deputy Minister for labour Relations and Foreign Employment Dr. Mervyn Silva has accused Sri Lanka’s media institutions of creating ‘unnecessary problems’. He accused some media institutions run by ‘racketeers and foreign powers’ of being biased towards interested parties.

Dr. Silva has ordered the journalists not to take photographs on his arrival at Colombo Fort police station to visit his son, who was arrested for assaulting police officers.

Police assaulted

He was particularly critical of private media institutions Sirasa and Swarnavahini.

The police on Monday released Malaka Manoj Silva, son of the minister, and two others who were arrested at the night club in Taj Samudra hotel last week for assaulting and threatening to shoot police officers.

A wounded police officer has been admitted to hospital and one more reported to be suffering from head injuries.

The officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau were assaulted when they raided the night club on suspicion that some club-goers were in the possession of narcotics.

Re-appointed

Assistant superintendent of Police (ASP) Champika Siriwardhana said the minister’s son, Sampath Kumara Rajapakse and Prasanna Kumara Suresh were released on police bail but may need to appear before the police in the future.

Mervyn Silva earlier resigned from his deputy ministerial portfolio after his son was accused of involving in a brawl in a night club.

He was re-instated as a deputy minister by President Chandrika Kumaratunga during a minor cabinet reshuffle last week.

Dr. Silva, who lost the general elections in April 2004, was later appointed as a member of the parliament from the national list by the president.

Police under pressure to go soft on Mervyn’s son

By Kurulu Kariyakarawana
DM / Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Police Narcotics Bureau officers who were involved in a dispute with Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva’s son at a five star hotel yesterday expressed shock over a statement made by Police Chief Chandra Fernando.

At a news conference yesterday the Inspector General of Police in response to a question saidf there was no evidence that Malaka Silva and the others had attacked PNB officers who were on duty but Mr. Silva and others had interfered with the officers who were returning after finishing their duty.

A PNB officer condemning the IGPs statement said the narcotics team had been on a mission and on duty when the incident occurred.

He said the narcotics officials had gone to the hotel with a search warrant and they were distressed that no proper action was taken against Malaka Silva and two others who were released on police bail without even being produced in court. It is reported that the team which conducted the raid and the Fort police who were conducting inquires on the PNB complaint came under pressure from superior officers to act soft on the case.

Responding to this When Colombo Division DIG Pujith Jayasundera said on the basis of the statements made he believed there was insufficient evidence to produce the suspects in courts and therefore they were released on police bail in consultation with the IGP .

However the IGP said the investigations were proceeding and action would be taken if necessary. Yesterday’s developments came a day after Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva hammered out at journalists, accusing various media groups of telling lies and warning he knew what to do about them.

Journalists protest minister’s threats

27 July, 2005
BBC Sinhala

Journalists say police inaction has led to an anachist situation
Sri Lanka's journalists protested constant threats to media personnel by deputy minister Mervyn Silva in Colombo.

Journalists representing Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Journalists’ Society and Trade Union Alliance for Media Workers (TUAMW) on Wednesday urged the authorities to stop constant threats by the minister.

FMM convenor Sunanda Deshapriya said the journalists would not stop protests until the minister resigns from his parliamentary seat.



Politicains of both parties are continuously threatening journalists who do not dance into their tunes, General Secretary of the TUAMW Dharmasiri Lankapeli told BBC’s Elmo Fernando.

Assault on police

He said the country is facing an anarchic situation due to the inaction of the police against politicians.

Deputy Minister for Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Dr. Mervyn Silva on Monday accused journalists of running a mafia.


Journalists vowed to fight until the minister resigns

In an interview with BBC Sandeshaya (BBC Sinhala) he accused the Sirasa and Swarnavahini media institutions of trying to break the cease fire between the government and the Tamil Tigers.

He has threatened the journalists in front of Colombo Fort police station on Monday, when they tried to take photographs of his son.

The police on Monday released Malaka Manoj Silva, son of the minister, and two others who were arrested at the night club in Taj Samudra hotel last week for assaulting and threatening to shoot police officers.

Re-appointed

A wounded police officer has been admitted to hospital and one more reported to be suffering from head injuries.

The officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau were assaulted allegedly by the minister’s son when the police raided the night club on suspicion that some club-goers were in the possession of narcotics.

Mervyn Silva earlier resigned from his deputy ministerial portfolio after his son was accused of involving in a brawl in a night club.

He was re-instated as a deputy minister by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a cabinet reshuffle last week.

Dr. Silva, who lost the general elections in April 2004, was later appointed as a member of the parliament from the national list by the president.

‘Mervyn behaved like a monkey in a circus’

By Harischandra Gunaratna Norman Palihawadna
The Island / 28JUL2005

Deputy Labour Minister Mervyn Silva yesterday said "I am a rustic man who came to the metropolis from Giruw-apatuwa in the South and I have not taken bribes from anyone."

He accused the UNP of killing journalist Richard de Zoysa and said the UNP regime continuosly harassed the media and suppressed them. "Nobody spoke of the atrocities committed by the UNP and nobody asked the UNP hierarchy to apologise for their wrong doings he said.

Those witnessed the deputy minister Silva attacking the media in foul language on Tuesday outside Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court said Silva’s ‘conduct was unbecoming of a government minister’ and he was behaving like a monkey in a circus. He told journalists that he will never take a step a back even if there are 500 picketing campaigns against him and shovered praise on the TNL saying that this media institution is not biased in it’s coverage and I am ready to apologise to such institutuions one thousand times.


@ Photo TamilNet

Silva said "I condemn the paparazis" There are non-governmental organizations behind these picketings against me".

Silva’s son Malaka was involved in a brawl at the night club of the five star Taj Samudra Hotel where he was alleged to have been under the influence of the drug Eastasy and tried to shoot the members of the police squad who raided the night club. A number of media organizations organized picketing campaigns against the derogatory comments made by the deputy minister against the media outside Fort Magistrates Court on Tuesday.


@ Photo TamilNet

Political parties condemn Mervyn, son

by Harischandra Gunaratna
The Island / 01AUG2005

The opposition UNP yesterday condemned the behaviour of UPFA Deputy Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Mervyn Silva opposite Fort Magistrate‘s Court on Monday evening as most disgusting and unwarranted. A senior party source said "it was scandalous and conduct unbecoming of a Deputy Minister who is a close confidant of the President

He who ought to set an example to the masses, instead of behaving like a clown in a circus providing cheap entertainment to the public."

The threats made by this bloated politician who has not received a mandate of the people and without a proper political base, in most foul language attacking the television channels "Sirasa"owned by the Maharaja Group and "Swarnawahini" by the EAP group give an indication as to what is in store for the masses in the country and those who voted the UPFA government to power.




Mervyn Silva goes on boasting that he is a son of "Magampattuwa" in the deep South and makes a false claim that he is a descendent of the ancient warrior king "Dutugemunu." Allowing him to continue with this type of bland hype and clownish behaviour is an insult to the great warrior king and the people of the South he said. It is the prime duty and responsibility of every patriotic citizen in Sri Lanka to rally round and come forward to stop the antics of this "joker" deputy minister who keeps insulting our nation and its rich history he noted.

By making him a national list Parliamentarian and conferring on him an honorary doctorate which he doesn‘t deserve the authorities have ridiculed eminent scholars in respective disciplines who have been honoured with such doctorates for the services rendered, he pointed out.

This "cardboard sando" on Thursday set his goons to go in front of the MTV networks and create a big commotion, threatening and insulting its media men and their superiors. On an earlier occasion this coward of a man, Mervin Silva, who calls him a politician barged into Upail Newspapers premises, which publishes "Divina", before being chased out by its editor, this UNP stalwart observed.

What is surprising is that the President and the Prime Minister are turning a blind eye to the disgusting and oafish behaviour of their "blue eyed" boy at the expense of the public he added.

Ven Dr Omaple Sobhitha , Deputy Leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) too condemned the behaviour of the national list politician said "Its time that the authorities bring to a halt the atrocious behaviour of this politician who is "not worth his salt" and added that politicians of Mervin Silva's are a curse to the nation and the government should take the blame for promoting such people who are not capable of not doing anything for the people and a person who couldn‘t even muster 2500 votes...

Contempt of court against police

BBC Sinhala
08Aug2005


Sri Lanka’s Attorney General (AG) has started investigations against police on charges of contempt of court.

The AG has initiated the enquiry after the Colombo Fort magistrate ordered the department to investigate the alleged attack on police officers by the son of a deputy minister.

Malaka Silva, son of deputy minister Dr. Mervyn Silva, is accused of assaulting and trying to obstruct officers from Police Narcotics Bureau when they raided the night club in Colombo’s Taj Samudra hotel.

An injured police constable was admitted to the hospital.

The minister’s son and two others were released on police bail without producing them before the courts.

The AG is investigating whether the police action amounts to contempt of court.

The police chief, Chandra Fernando, has told media that there was not enough evidence to charge Malaka Silva but the AG department maintains otherwise.

The department is to produce a report on the investigations to the courts on 18 August.