SC rejected petitioner's request to reinstate him as the Eastern Commander

In an interim order, a three-member bench chaired by the Chief Justice ordered SLA Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka to provide an official residence in Summit Flats for Major General Parakrama Pannipitiya.

Rejecting Gen. Pannipitiya's request to reinstate him as the Eastern Commander, the bench also ordered Gen. Fonseka to provide him with adequate security.

Financial misappropriation

Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition claiming his rights were violated by removing him as the Eastern Commander and ordering him to leave the secured official residence.

The petition, citing the SLA commander, Attorney General (AG) and others as respondents, has urged the judiciary to order the SLA Commander to reverse his decisions.

	Gen. Pannipitiya denies accusations of financial misappropriation

The AG informed the court that an investigation has been launched into alleged misappropriation of Rs. 27 lacks during Gen. Pannipitiya served as the Eastern Commander.

Petitioner's councel said there were many other allegations made against his client.

Gen. Pannipitiya is also accused of unlawfully acquiring land in Puttalam, irregularities in purchasing food for the military and breaching regulations in renting a vehicle, the counsel said.

The counsel said his client categorically denies all those allegations.

When the case was taken for hearing on Wednesday, petitioner's counsel urged the authorities not to endanger the life of the general who recaptured Thoppigala from Tamil Tigers.

The hearing was postponed until 26 May.