C. D. Wickramaratne

C. D. Wickramaratne
35th Inspector General of Police
In office
25 November 2020 – 25 November 2023
Preceded byPujith Jayasundara
Succeeded byDeshabandu Tennakoon
Personal details
Born
Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne

(1963-03-26) 26 March 1963 (age 61)
ProfessionPolice officer

Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne (born 26 March 1963) is a retired Sri Lankan police officer. He is a former Inspector General of Sri Lankan Police.

Early years and career

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Chandana Wickramaratne was born on 26 March 1963 and received his school education at Ananda College, Colombo. After his graduation from University of Colombo with a degree in physical sciences he joined the Sri Lanka Police service on 16 June 1986, beginning his career as an Intelligence Officer with the rank of ASP.

He has successfully completed a M.Sc (Defence Studies in Management) at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana in 2006, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution and Security Studies from University of Bradford in 2006. He has also completed the 'Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) Course on Building State Capability' at University of Harvard in 2016.

Appointment to the post of IGP

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Wickramaratne served as the Senior Deputy Inspector General of South before his appointment to the post of IGP. On the 26 April 2019, President Maithripala Sirisena ordered the then Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, to resign over intelligence failures that led to the fatal Easter bomb attacks.[1] Jayasundara refused to resign and was put on compulsory leave with Wickramaratne appointed as the acting Inspector General.[2][3] The temporary appointment became a controversy as Jayasundara denied the allegations levelled against him by the President filed a court case against the government regarding the intelligence lapse.

Wickramaratne was a Senior Deputy Inspector General, when he was appointed to the role of acting Inspector-General of Police, when the incumbent, Jayasundara, was suspended following the 2019 Easter bombings.[4] On 13 May 2019, C. D. Wickramaratne was approved to work as acting IGP by the Constitutional Council.[5][6] He was confirmed in the position on 25 November 2020 and served till his retirement on 25 November 2023.[7]

Other cases

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He also ordered a special investigation to probe statements made by former LTTE cadre Karuna Amman, who claimed to have killed more than 3000 army soldiers at the Elephant Pass during the civil war. He further claimed that Amman was more dangerous than the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9]

References

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  1. ^ admin (2019-04-29). "Pujith Jayasundara sent on compulsory leave". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  2. ^ "IGP sent on compulsory leave". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Sri Lanka : President appoints new Chief Justice and Auditor General, Acting Attorney General and Acting IGP". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  4. ^ admin (2019-04-29). "Senior DIG Wickramaratne appointed acting IGP". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  5. ^ admin (2019-05-13). "CC approves Senior DIG Wickramaratne as acting IGP". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  6. ^ "Sunday Times - CC approves appointment of Senior DIG Wickramaratne as Acting IGP". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  7. ^ "C. D. Wickramaratne to retire as IGP after 4 service extensions". Adadenrana. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Karuna Amman summoned to the CID to record a statement". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  9. ^ "Acting IGP orders CID to investigate Karuna Amman's statement on killing soldiers". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
Police appointments
Preceded by Sri Lankan Inspector General of Police
2020–2023
Succeeded by
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