On 4/4/25 The Council of Reference posted a 'Definitive Public Response' (hereafter 'DPR') to a series of serious allegations of criminal misconduct in Sri Lanka.


In Section 5, pertaining to two convicted serial, child rapists, the report the authors question the High Court Judge's integrity, in a manner that would fall foul of contempt of court legislation in this country.


Is there a sound, objective basis for this strong prejudice? Or is it merely defensive?

There is certainly grounds for needing a defence against the Judge's testimony in the child rape case of Jeyakanth's employees.

Two courts blamed the 9 year delay in obtaining justice, on the police and court clerks in Trincomalee, in a country, where as the authors of DPR amply remind us, bribery is rife.

The High Court Judge, Manikkavasagam Ilancheliyan, மாணிக்கவாசகர் இளஞ்செழியன், named and specifically blamed the supervisor of the home, namely Jeyakanth Selvarajah, in his summing up, and this is corroborated by the press reports.

However, it's difficult to find a judge in Sri Lanka, against whom such prejudice is less well justified.

Judge Manikkavasagam Ilancheliyan held magistrate and high court judge posts at courts in Jaffna, Mannar and Trincomalee districts, since his first appointment as Vauniya Magistrate on Feb 5, 1997.Here is the report of his appointment in Trincomalee.

He has set a new record as the longest serving Tamil judge in the Northern and Eastern Province in the country’s judicial history, serving for 27 years.

The English press reviews are singularly glowing:
"Manikkavasagam Ilanchelian is widely respected for his fearless and impartial decisions, including judgments in several controversial cases such as murder trials. His potential elevation to the Court of Appeal would ensure the judiciary continues to benefit from his expertise and integrity." Lankanewsweb 15/1/2025

"Renowned High Court Judge Manikkavasagam Ilanchelian, known for his courageous and impactful judgments in numerous high-profile cases"Ibid 15/1/2025

"It is notable that people liked him for his outright efforts to implement law and order to highest degree". Tamil Diplomat 28/5/2012?

"He has served as a High Court Judge in the districts of Jaffna and Trincomalee for a long time, and currently, he is working as a High Court Judge in Vavuniya. Judge Ilanchelian has become a very respectable person in the Sinhalese [Buddhist] society of the South." LankaTruth 23/12/2023

"He is also respected for the firm judgements he has made."
"He has also set a new record as the longest-serving Tamil judge in the Northern and Eastern Provinces." Adadaa News 23/12/2023

I haven't found one adverse review of him, and I understand the Tamil press is similar.
Reading the comments below, reflects the breadth of this sentiment in the readership too.

Godfrey Yogarajah, a former MP, and now Gen Sec of the National Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Asia Evangelical Alliance and Int Council member & Ambassador of Religious Freedom for the World Evangelical Alliance, (for all their serious defects), has this comment:


In 2022, Judge Ilanchelian was elected to the national position of President of the Association of High Court Judges of Sri Lanka, and this time, it is both unprecedented and extraordinary that he was elected both unopposed and unanimously, reflecting the height of the esteem in which he is held, by his own peers countrywide.
Judge Ilanchelian is the only person who has held this position as a Tamil.


However the DPR knows better and asserts,

" 'when he makes a bad judgment, he keeps quiet’.
We further learned from a former insider to the judiciary that this particular judge is a staunch Hindu and is prejudiced against Christians." DPR p.62

Is he then a populist? Is he determined to curry favour with the rich and powerful

Hardly!
He has criticised Government policy, corrupt police officers repeatedly, resulting this year in the eventual follow up conviction and imprisonment, by another colleague, of a police Senior Deputy Inspector General, senior army figures, and senior politicians, including a minister of State.
This level of judicial boldness is rare in a country where graft is common and where political assassinations abound.

Indeed, there are hints in the press that an expected promotion to the appeal court circuit was prevented by Government procrastination, precisely because of this boldness, perhaps rather than his Tamil ethnicity.


So is he a Hinduvata, with a particular prejudice against other groups, and Christians in particular, as the DPR avers?

(I will note this is a common tactic of Jeyakanth, to attribute to sectarian tensions, opposition to his own evil, and we have observed it repeatedly.)
The minister of State whom this judge called out for criminal behaviour was a prominent Hindu. Judge Ilancheliyan has convicted Hindu as well as Buddhist police officers, Hindu and Buddhist rapists, Hindu and Buddhist murderers, in a bold and direct manner.

The Muslim press also commented favourably on his work, at his retirement.

But the most telling incident in his career, was the police officer who saved him from assassination, at the cost of his own life, and Judge Ilancheliyan's reaction to this sacrifice.
There was indication that this was as retribution for his decisive ruling in a case involving a Hindu rapist. Sergeant Hemaratne had served as his police bodyguard and motorcycle escort, for 17 years.

Here is the Judge speaking in English, just after the assassination attempt, before the policeman died. Although clearly flustered, his account his careful and meticulous in details.
The case came to international attention, with US calls for swift action in response. The President of Sri Lanka himself intervened.

The remarkable reaction that inadvertently caught international attention was Judge Ilancheliyan's condolences to the Sergeant's widow, the video is remarkable.


Here is the Judge subsequently at the graveside, which reveals a Buddhist burial site.

Moreover there is some touching press coverage, of his care for the widow and the family.

Conclusion

The DPR asserts, " 'when he makes a bad judgment, he keeps quiet’.
We further learned from a former insider to the judiciary that this particular judge is a staunch Hindu and is prejudiced against Christians." DPR p.62

However High Court Judge, Manikkavasagam Ilancheliyan, மாணிக்கவாசகர் இளஞ்செழியன், is an uncompromising and serious Judge, with the highest reputation, there is not a scrap of evidence for the scurrilous contempt used by the DPR.
There is no evidence for his prejudice against Christians, in fact the only case I could find of his involvement in with 'Christians' was the three paedophiles sheltering under Jeyakanth's wing, one being used for years after charges were levelled against him as his legal representative and agent, even in matters relating to child abuse.
This is a scandalous contempt, not only of an exemplary Judge and the High Court in Trincomalee, but of the Appeal Court, whose definitive ruling lengthened the sentence and of the Supreme Court, which summarily dismissed the appeal, supported by LEF and lodged by an expensive firm of Colombo-based, Islamist lawyers. Was donors' money used to support this? It certainly didn't come from the improverished defendant.
Language like this used against a UK High Court Judge, would justly result in imprisonment.
Do reformed pastors employ it against a foreign judge to protect their own reputation?

Incidentally, the secret evidence the DPR claims to have to exonerate the two paedophiles - it's a pity they didn't share it with the high premium defence lawyers, someone hired to protect JK's reputation.

Muraleetharan Kanagalingam
It is reiterated in the DPR, p.65, that Muralee was involved in sending letters to the High Court.
Jeyakanth has publicly claimed they were written using false names and were of an accusing character.
This has always been categorically denied by Muralee. However the CoR knows better.
How is it known Muralee sent them?
Where is the date and the court stamp indicating receipt?
Who could these adverse sources be? Why do they insist on remaining anonymous?
When has Muralee threatened adverse sources with violence?
Was Muralee somehow breaking lifelong precedent, by trying to bribe or sway an incorruptible judge, what poor judgement he's accused of! This slander looks as credible and as concocted as the slander against the judge. It should be retracted or proven.

This case also serves as a litmus for the reliability of the string of egregious charges the DPR levels at the victim also.
Who cooked these up, I wonder?

An archive of files pertaining to LEFC.

The Cooke-Mullins Report.

LEF's Definitive Public Response - an introductory reply.

Section 5 - a series of child rapes at 6MP, by JK's employees, covered up by JK and LEF, till now.

Section 5 The DPR and Contempt of courts.

Appendix 2. Thambalagamam. The 'gamekeeper' is a poacher, a 'fraudulent' letter has been authenticated by the Sri Lankan Government Agent.

Section 8.6, p.87 - The unanswered questions about an early house purchase in Mitcham, which was first denied.

Section 8.12, p.94 The 6 pastors' letter of complaint about JK's immorality and extortion - specific questions about land registration.

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