COLOMBO, June 10 -- The Fort Magistrate's Court on Wednesday (10) appointed a five-member independent special medical panel to investigate allegations that former intelligence chief, retired Major General Suresh Sallay, detained in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings, was tortured while in custody.

Sallay, the former head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), currently being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), faces severe charges for allegedly planning, orchestrating, and directing the devastating Easter Sunday attacks.

In a comprehensive 17-page order, the Magistrate directed the newly formed panel, which includes a special legal medical expert and mental health specialists, to conduct a thorough exam...