By DPA,
Colombo: Police in Sri Lanka Friday raided the office of defeated presidential candidate and former army commander General Sarath Fonseka.
Fonseka has claimed since Tuesday’s loss that he is being harassed by the government. He lost by 1.8 million votes to incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who won a second term.
Members of the Special Task Force (STF) entered the premises of the office used by Fonseka during his campaign. Some 30 local and foreign journalists were kept from getting close to the building.
“We can confirm that the location (Fonseka’s office) is being searched, but we cannot give details,” Senior Superintendent of Police I.M. Karunaratna said.
United National Party Deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya, an opposition politician, visited the location and said an official involved in the search said government officials were looking for army deserters with Fonseka, as well as illegal firearms, but had failed to find either.
Foneska Thursday claimed that he fears for his life and that his family members and supporting staff have not been charged with any crimes, but were still being harassed by the government.
Government officials have claimed that Fonseka had planned a coup and intended to assassinate Rajapaksa and take over power, a claim denied by Fonseka.
Fonseka commanded the army in the final phase of the offensive against Tamil rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were eliminated in May last year.
However, following a fallout with Rajapaksa, he decided to contest the election.
Fonseka and the main opposition are now challenging Tuesday’s results, claiming they were manipulated. The government disputes those claims.
Rajapaksa said it was the first free and fair election held throughout the country in nearly three decades and since the defeat of the Tigers last year.
Meanwhile an editor of a pro-opposition newspaper has been detained for questioning over an article published last week about a construction of a house by the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is also the president’s brother, a spokesman for the newspaper said.
The Criminal Investigations Department confirmed that the editor, Chandana Sirimalwatte, has been detained for questioning. This is the third time he has been questioned during the past six months.