Oct 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka's governing party parliamentarian Duminda Silva has been accused of delaying the investigation process by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the assassination of Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

Attorney Upul Kumarapperuma appearing for Premachandra's family had told the Colombo Additional Magistrate Prasanna Alwis when the case was taken up for hearing that Silva's involvement was causing a difficulty for the CID to proceed with the investigation.

Kumarapperuma had made this statement in response to a comment made by the CID to court that they found it difficult to obtain the necessary legal advice from the Attorney General's Department in relation to the case.

President's Counsel, Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, appearing on behalf of Silva had noted that apart from his client, the late Premachandra was also a politician.

CID's ASP Shani Abeysekara had explained that the Department needed the advice of the Attorney General's Department to proceed with the inquiry since there are a number of extremely complex issues in the case.

According to Abeysekara, several discussions with the State Counsel Madhava Tennakoon had been held on October 9, 16 and 26 on the instructions from the Attorney General's Department.