Former Member of Parliament Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department for questioning in connection with the 2006 disappearance of Professor Sivasuubramaniam Ravindranath, the Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University.
Pillayan, a former military leader, faces allegations of involvement in acts of violence and war crimes. He led the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) and later served as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council.
Professor Ravindranath disappeared in 2006 after attending a conference in Colombo. He had been receiving threats from armed groups operating under the TMVP, which at the time was fighting against the LTTE with the tacit support of the Sri Lankan government.
Before his disappearance, Professor Ravindranath had been threatened, and Dr. K. Balasukumar, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Eastern University, had been abducted by members of the Karuna group.
While Pillayan’s direct involvement in Professor Ravindranath’s disappearance has not been proven, he has been under suspicion due to his leadership of the TMVP. Another paramilitary leader, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna Amman), has also been questioned in connection with the case.
Pillayan’s arrest is a significant development in the case of Professor Ravindranath’s disappearance. Armed groups operating with the government’s protection during that period have been widely accused of involvement in disappearances and other crimes. The lack of accountability for these crimes has been a major concern.
