The wife of former State Intelligence Service Director Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay has lodged a complaint with Sri Lanka's National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses, alleging that her children were subjected to surveillance by an individual believed to be linked to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to Ada Derana, Manori Sallay stated in her complaint that a man dressed in civilian clothing had repeatedly monitored her and her two children.
She alleged that the same individual followed her 17-year-old daughter and 22-year-old son when they visited the Colombo National Hospital on Friday to inquire about their father's condition.
The complaint further claims that the man photographed or filmed the two children using a mobile phone during the visit.
Manori Sallay also stated that the individual had previously been seen near the National Hospital and in the vicinity of the CID premises.
In her complaint, she called on the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses to conduct an independent investigation, identify the individual concerned and establish under whose instructions the alleged surveillance was carried out.
Suresh Sallay, the former head of Sri Lanka's State Intelligence Service, was arrested by the CID on 25 February in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. He remains in CID custody under a court order.
Sallay is currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital after commencing a hunger strike while in detention. His family has repeatedly alleged mistreatment and abuse in CID custody.
The complaint comes amid growing political controversy over Sallay's detention. Earlier this month, opposition politicians and Buddhist clergy launched a Satyagraha campaign outside Colombo Fort Railway Station demanding his release and accusing the government of mistreatment.
Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila were among those who publicly criticised the handling of the case. The CID has since informed court that it is investigating several opposition figures over alleged contempt of court linked to public statements about the Sallay investigation.
The Easter Sunday attacks, which killed more than 260 people in coordinated bombings on churches and hotels in 2019. The Catholic Church has repeatedly called for the investigation to continue without political interference. Archdiocese of Colombo spokesperson Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando has said that key questions remain unanswered, including whether a wider conspiracy lay behind the attacks and who may have planned or orchestrated them.
Sallay has consistently denied involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks.
He remains one of the most controversial figures in Sri Lanka's intelligence establishment. During his career, he has been linked to allegations of serious human rights abuses and information operations targeting Tamils, including the coercion of Tamil doctor T. Varatharajah after the Mullivaikkal massacres in 2009.