Lanka's sacked top defence official faces charges for criminal negligence over Easter bombings

Sri Lanka's sacked top defence ministry official will face criminal investigation for his alleged failure to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 258 people and injured over 500, an official said on Monday.

Hemasiri Fernando, who was asked by President Maithripala Sirisena to resign, told a parliamentary panel that it was difficult for him to meet Sirisena during the time he served as the top bureaucrat of the ministry.

The Attorney General (AG) has instructed the acting police chief to institute a criminal action against Fernando following recommendations by a special panel to probe the April 21 attacks.

India had shared intelligence inputs with Sri Lanka about possible attacks weeks before the bombings.

Last week, it was announced that a group of senior police officials were to face criminal negligence charges over their alleged failure to prevent the attacks on the recommendations of the same panel.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Colombo), Deputy Inspector ...