“I would rather die than go back to CID,” says former intelligence chief Suresh Salay

19-Jun-2026

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Former Director of the State Intelligence Service, Suresh Salay, currently detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and on a hunger strike at the Colombo National Hospital, has reportedly stated that he would rather die than return to the Criminal Investigation Department, according to his lawyer Asith Siriwardana.

The lawyer said he had met the suspect at the hospital and urged him to abandon the hunger strike, but Salay refused.

Salay reportedly claimed that CID Director Shani Abeysekara is acting out of personal hostility against him and declared that he will not return to CID custody.

He further stated that CID detention is “like hell” and reiterated his decision to continue the hunger strike.