Colombo- March 5, The Criminal Investigation Department yesterday, through a motion, informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that retired Major General Suresh Sallay, who is under a detention order for 90 days and being questioned under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the vry same tool, that he used as the weapon to arrest and incarcerate young Tamil men and women – has been named as the third suspect in the ongoing investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks.

The CID made this submission before Colombo Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara, stating that the former chief of Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Servicet had been arrested on February 25, 2026, in connection with the incident.
The CID when inquired by the Magistrate, whether sufficient evidence existed to name the retired officer as a suspect during the proceedings, stated that evidence had emerged during the investigations conducted so far. The CID also requested court to place the suspect under judicial observation, noting that he is currently being held under a detention order.

While submitting an additional report regarding the ongoing investigations, the Court was further informed that two other individuals, including a former Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of a police station in the Eastern Province, have also been named as suspects in connection with the investigation.