Suresh Sale Must Be Afforded the Right to Prove His Innocence Through Due Process: Dilith Jayaweera
07-Jun-2026.
Dilith Jayaweera, Member of Parliament and leader of the Sarvajana Balaya Party, has stressed that if allegations are brought against Major General Suresh Sale, he must be afforded the same legal right enjoyed by every citizen of the country to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Jayaweera made these remarks after a meeting held on June 5 at the party headquarters, where Deputy High Commissioner of India Dr Satyanjal Pandey met with him and members of the party's Executive Committee.
Addressing the media afterwards, Jayaweera said that the current situation involving Major General Sale should not be viewed merely as a detention order against an ordinary individual. He described Sale as a courageous officer who played a significant role in ending the country's long struggle against terrorism and separatism.
According to Jayaweera, a person of such standing deserves the respect of the nation. While any allegations against him should be properly investigated, he must be granted the legal opportunity to establish his innocence through due process.
He expressed concern over reports that Sale has been subjected to mistreatment, arguing that such actions undermine public confidence in the legal system and adversely affect the morale of members of the armed forces who have served the country with dedication.
Jayaweera claimed that detention laws have never before been applied in such a harsh manner. He criticised those who, having promised before coming to power that such laws would not be used for political vendettas, are now allegedly employing them to pursue narrow political objectives and satisfy political supporters.
He said his party strongly condemns these developments and is preparing to launch nationwide protests against what it views as injustice towards Major General Sale. Failure to address the issue now, he warned, could have serious consequences for the country's future.
Jayaweera also voiced concern over proposals to extend the tenure of senior Supreme Court judges, alleging that such measures pose a serious threat to judicial independence.
He argued that the Government appears to be using tenure extensions as an incentive to advance its political agenda and warned that such actions could severely damage public confidence in the legal system. While expressing confidence that judges would reject such benefits, he cautioned that the proposal itself could create the perception that the Government is attempting to influence the judiciary.
He concluded by stating that his party intends to unite members of the legal community to organise a strong campaign against what it considers arbitrary and unjustified extensions of judicial tenure.
