Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, has rejected the post-mortem report on the death of Ranga Nishantha, an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Finance, and called for a second examination by an independent panel.
Speaking at a press conference, Gammanpila raised serious concerns about the transparency of the investigation, noting that Nishantha had been a key whistleblower who recently exposed a major computer fraud within the Ministry.
He criticised the medical committee for concluding that the death was a “likely suicide” before essential forensic findings were finalised. He pointed out that critical pathology and toxicology reports—needed to determine whether the victim had been drugged or incapacitated—had not yet been released.
Gammanpila also questioned why the committee did not wait for the Government Analyst’s report on fingerprints found on the weapon or for DNA analysis of bloodstains on the victim’s clothing before reaching a conclusion.
According to him, issuing such findings under these circumstances raises concerns about possible external pressure to close the case prematurely.
He further referred to correspondence between the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate and the Director General of Health Services, which acknowledged that the victim’s wife had raised suspicions regarding the death. Despite this, he alleged that key forensic procedures had been overlooked.
Gammanpila also criticised the selection of the medical committee, claiming that some members had close political or personal ties that could undermine the credibility of the investigation.
He reiterated his call for a second post-mortem to be conducted by a new and independent panel, proposing that it include the three most senior Judicial Medical Officers in Sri Lanka to ensure a thorough and impartial inquiry.
He warned that failure to conduct a credible investigation could further erode public trust in the authorities.
