Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLPF) Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekera, in a press conference yesterday, defended his presence at the Hettipola Police Station yesterday, saying he got involved to diffuse the situation.

Speaking to media, Jayasekera said crowds of about ‘2 or 3, 000 youth’ had converged outside the Hettipola Police Station demanding the release of a number of arrested youth.

“The problem was that they were brought to the Hetttipola Police Station,” Jayasekera said, adding the suspects should have been kept in Bingiriya, which was where they were arrested.”

“Police wanted to take them back to Bingiriya, but the Police vehicle could not move out of the compound, so I put them in my vehicle,” Jayasekera said.

He also denied allegations he was involved with one-time Army deserter and subsequent leader of an anti-corruption front Namal Kumara, saying he had met Kumara outside the Hettipola Police Station.

“I asked him what he was doing here. I spoke to him sternly and asked him to leave immediately,” the parliamentarian said, underscoring the fact that he had only got involved to diffuse the situation.

Critics of the Minister have pointed out however, that there can be no justification for the former minister meddling with Police processes.