Several members of the Council, including former president Chandrika Kumaratunga, are of the view that the conduct of the defence secretary was inappropriate for his position.

The cabinet spokesman said it was questionable as to why Basnayake had sent a letter to the attorney general, telling him to release the passport of Avant Garde chairman Maj. Nissanka Senadhipathi to go overseas.

Releasing his passport would have had an impact on the investigation into the security firm, he said.

Mere political tool

Meanwhile, Council member, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said the Council was a mere political tool, and that it had no legal powers to issue orders.

He was responding to a call by the cabinet spokesman that the former defence secretary should be arrested over the floating armoury issue.