May 23, Colombo: Colombo Additional Magistrate Mrs. Rajindra Jayasuriya yesterday (22) ordered the five-member special judicial committee appointed to determine the cause of Janashakthi Group Director Dinesh Schaffter’s death to conduct the post mortem examination within two days after exhumation of his remains.

The Magistrate ordered to exhume the body of Mr. Schaffter buried in Borella Cemetery, and conduct the second post-mortem examination at the Galle Karapitiya Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Since the Criminal Investigation Department has made the necessary arrangements to exhume the remains on Thursday, May 25th, the Magistrate issued this order informing the five-member expert panel to come to Borella Cemetery at 8:30 am on that day.

The court also allowed the five-member expert committee to conduct the second post-mortem examination at the Galle Karapitiya Hospital mortuary within two days after the exhumation.

The necessary expenses in this regard will be borne by the Ministry of Justice and the Criminal Investigation Department will bear the expenses of moving the remains to the Galle Karapitiya Hospital.

These orders were issued through a motion filed by the Criminal Investigation Department before the court stating that the necessary arrangements have been made to recover the body.

The five-member expert panel investigating whether the death of Mr. Schaffter was a suicide or a homicide has informed the court in a letter that based on the evidence obtained in relation to the investigations conducted so far, the panel has decided to exhume the body and conduct a new post-mortem examination.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya on February 27, 2023 ordered the appointment of an investigation panel comprising five judicial and forensic medicine experts to determine the cause of death of businessman Dinesh Schaffter.

Accordingly, Prof. Asela Mendis, forensic specialist of Colombo University as the Chairman and Prof. DCR Perera of Ruhuna University, Forensic specialist Prof. DNP Fernando of University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya Hospital Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Siva Subramaniam and Galle Karapitiya Hospital Senior Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Rohan Ruwanpura as the members were appointed for the investigation panel.

The Magistrate appointed this five-member committee to determine the cause of Mr. Schaffter’s death, as there were contradictions between the original version of the post-mortem report and the final detailed report related to the businessman’s death.