Ravi Seneviratne is a Sri Lankan senior police officer. A former senior deputy inspector general of police, Seneviratne headed the Criminal Investigation Department and is the secretary to the Ministry of Public Security since September 2024.

Ravi Seneviratne
Police career
CountrySri Lanka Police
AllegianceSri Lanka
DepartmentSpecial Task Force,
Criminal Investigation Department
RankSenior Deputy Inspector General of Police
Other workSecretary to the Ministry of Public Security

Police career

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A founding member of the elite Special Task Force, Seneviratne had served as the deputy director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), First Secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand, and the head of Interpol in Sri Lanka.[1]

Political career

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In June 2024, Seneviratne joined the National People's Power (NPP) political alliance and became head of its Retired Police Collective.[2] He was appointed secretary to the Ministry of Public Security in September 2014 by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.[3]

Controversies

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Seneviratne was arrested in October 2023, for drunk driving and causing a multiple-vehicle collision. He was brought before the Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate and released on bail.[4]

Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara filed a fundamental rights petition to the Supreme Court in September 2024 preventing their arrest in connection to the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks based on a complaint made by former DIG Palitha Siriwardhane.[5]

In October 2024, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader, former parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila, stated that Seneviratne should be removed from his post as Secretary Public Security since a secret report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings stated that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had informed Seneviratne, in his capacity as head of the Criminal Investigation Department, of the imminent attacks and he failed to take action.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Ravi Seneviratne appointed as Public Security Ministry Secretary". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Ex-CID Chief takes over as head of NPP's Retired Police Collective". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Ravi Seneviratne appointed Secretary of Public Security". Adaderana. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Drunk driving accident: Fmr SDIG Ravi Seneviratne granted bail". Adaderana. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  5. ^ "No decision to arrest Shani Abeysekera and Ravi Seneviratne - AG". Adaderana. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Ravi Seneviratne should be removed, says Gammanpila". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 21 October 2024.