Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan")
Member, Eastern Tamil Alliance (joint alliance with Karuna Amman) · Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP)
3
Legal matters
0
Investigations
2
Charges pending
1
Acquitted / dismissed
Next in court
Not publicly confirmed
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") is currently in remand.
Murder (5 counts) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act - Kallady/Murugan Temple shootings (9 Jan 2008), Kattankudy killings (22 May 2008), and a Kannakuda/Kothiyapola killing (20 Aug 2008); reporting also references a police-officer shooting and a businessman abduction/murder within the same case.
The full running account, event by event, is in the Timeline and Court Cases tabs below.
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") legal timeline
- 13 October 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Hearing
The matter is scheduled to return to court on 13 October 2026.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 29 September 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Hearing
The Batticaloa Magistrate's Court further remanded Chandrakanthan (Pillayan, who appeared by video link) and co-suspects Mohamed Sifan and Mohamed Sakeed until 13 October 2026.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 29 September 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Remanded
The Batticaloa Magistrate further remanded him, with two co-suspects, until 13 October 2026 in the 2008 Batticaloa-area killings case.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 15 September 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Hearing
The scheduled 15 September 2026 hearing took place (by video conference); the court further remanded Pillayan and two other suspects until 29 September 2026 - see the linked remand event.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
- 15 September 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Remanded
The Batticaloa Magistrate's Court further remanded Pillayan and two other suspects until 29 September 2026, after a hearing conducted by video conference at which the CID made further submissions and the court renewed the arrest warrant for a fourth suspect believed to be in London. The court separately directed prison authorities to report by 22 September 2026 on requests concerning Pillayan's meals and telephone contact with his mother.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
Sources (3)
- 17 August 2026Eastern University Vice-Chancellor disap…
Indicted
Indicted 17 Aug 2026 at Polonnaruwa High Court.
Court: Polonnaruwa High Court (indictment); Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court (earlier remand)
- 13 July 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Remanded
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) was further remanded on 13 July 2026 until 24 July 2026 in the case over the alleged 2008 killings in the Batticaloa district. The case is at the pre-trial stage and the allegations are untested.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
- 30 June 20262008 Batticaloa killings case
Remanded
The Batticaloa Magistrate's Court remanded Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) until 13 Jul 2026 as the third suspect in a CID case over five alleged killings in 2008 in the Kallady, Kattankudy and Kannankuda areas. These are allegations; he is already in remand in a separate case.
Court: Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
- 13 January 2021Joseph Pararajasingham murder case
Acquitted
Batticaloa High Court Judge D.S. Soosaithasan acquitted Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) and four other accused after the Attorney General's Department said it would not proceed, following a Court of Appeal ruling that confessions obtained from two accused were inadmissible as obtained under duress.
Court: High Court (Batticaloa)
Sources (2)
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") court cases
3
Cases Total
2
Charges Pending
1
Acquitted
Joseph Pararajasingham murder case
Conspiracy/murder - assassination of Tamil National Alliance MP Joseph Pararajasingham, 25 Dec 2005, St. Mary's Cathedral, Batticaloa
What’s happened
Arrested Oct 2015 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; indicted Oct 2017; the Court of Appeal ruled key confessions inadmissible (obtained under duress); the Attorney General's Department told the Batticaloa High Court on 11 Jan 2021 it would not proceed, and on 13 Jan 2021 Judge D.S. Soosaithasan acquitted Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) and four other accused (Sunday Times; Ada Derana; Newsfirst).
- Court
- High Court (Batticaloa)
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Sources (4)
Eastern University Vice-Chancellor disappearance and murder case
Abduction, unlawful detention/torture, murder, and destruction of the body of Prof. Sivasubramaniam Ravindranath (Eastern University Vice-Chancellor), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Penal Code
What’s happened
Victim disappeared 15-16 Dec 2006, allegedly held/killed at an illegal camp in Sevanapitiya; body never recovered. Co-accused: Kathirgathambi Jeyakishan (Jeyanthan), Nimal Devsukan (Jeyakandan), Nadarasa Nagulendran (Simbu/Nagulan). Indicted 17 Aug 2026 at Polonnaruwa High Court. A separate Supreme Court Fundamental Rights petition challenging the legality of his arrest/detention had oral submissions concluded 2 Jun 2026; judgment reserved
- Court
- Polonnaruwa High Court (indictment); Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court (earlier remand)
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
2008 Batticaloa killings case
Murder (5 counts) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act - Kallady/Murugan Temple shootings (9 Jan 2008), Kattankudy killings (22 May 2008), and a Kannakuda/Kothiyapola killing (20 Aug 2008); reporting also references a police-officer shooting and a businessman abduction/murder within the same case
What’s happened
Co-accused: Mohamed Sifan, Mohamed Sakeed, and a fourth suspect (at large, reportedly in London, subject to an open arrest warrant; named 'Mohamed Boys' by Newswire on 29 Sep 2026, earlier recorded here as 'Mohamed Faiz' - name unreconciled). Case filed 15 Jun 2026; further remanded 13 Jul 2026, again to 15 Sept 2026, and - at the 15 Sept 2026 hearing (conducted by video conference, with further CID submissions and a renewed arrest warrant for the London suspect) - further remanded to 29 Sept 2026.
The court separately directed prison authorities to report back by 22 Sept 2026 on requests concerning Pillayan's meals and telephone contact with his mother - an interim administrative direction, not a change in his remand status. At the 29 Sept 2026 hearing Pillayan (by video link) and two co-suspects were further remanded to 13 Oct 2026.
- Court
- Batticaloa Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") in the news
In the news
Stories in the news feed that name Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan"), with every outlet’s report of each grouped together. These are other outlets’ reports; what they say is not Nadu’s verified record.
No stories naming Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") in the news right now. New reports appear here as outlets publish them.
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") political career
Ministerial positions
Former State Minister
Dates not publicly confirmed
Other political positions
Chief Minister, Eastern Province
2008–2012
Former Member of Parliament, Batticaloa District
2020–2024
Member, Eastern Tamil Alliance (joint alliance with Karuna Amman)
2025–?
Founder-leader, TMVP
Dates not publicly confirmed
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan ("Pillayan") party history
TMVP emerged from the Karuna faction in 2004. Pillayan became TMVP leader in Apr 2007. Earlier LTTE affiliation is an organisational/militant affiliation, not represented as a normal political-party interval.