Tamil Businessman who was 'White Vanned' in Colombo Remains Missing

Mr. Prabhakaran was earlier arrested by police on charges that he had links with the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Flag of Sri Lanka

(COLOMBO, Sri Lanka) - We reported earlier this month, that a Tamil businessman in Colombo, 42-year old Ramasamy Prabakaran, was seized in broad daylight by armed goons; 'white vanned'... in broad daylight in front of his wife and daughter, after returning from a trip to Athurugiriya, Ratmalana. (see: Tamil Businessman Who Reported Torture 'White Vanned' in Sri Lanka - D.B.S. Jeyaraj for Salem-News.com)

The Times in India reported this week that Ramasamy Prabakaran, owner of “Panama Traders” an electronics store in Bambalapitiya, is still missing. (see No trace of Tamil businessman)

Police investigating the kidnapping of a Tamil business from outside home his at Wellawatte three weeks ago are yet to make a breakthrough while the man’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Ramaswamy Prabhakaran, 42 was grabbed a day before a fundamental rights application filed by was to be taken up at the Supreme Court in Colombo.

The FR application had cited several senior police officers as respondents, and the petitioner had claimed Rs. 90 million in damages for illegal detention and torture.

Mr. Prabhakaran was earlier arrested by police on charges that he had links with the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) but was subsequently released in September last year after two years in detention for lack of evidence.

Interestingly, the Times story brings a previously undisclosed element into the story, they claim that according to Prabakaran's wife Shiromi, a member of the LTTE called and demanded a ransom of Rs. 100 million in return for his safe release.

Knowing the history of the case, that Mr. Prabakaran had brought a case against police, allied with the Sinhala government, it seems very difficult to believe that he was kidnapped for betraying "the Tamil separatist cause by maintaining links with serving army officers".